Socio- economic Profile of the Farmers in Five Agro-Climatic Zones of Punjab, India

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Punjab to analyse the socio- economic profile of 200 farmers using an interview schedule. The findings of the study revealed that large percentage of farmers belonged to general category and majority were nuclear having 2-5 members. Majority of farmers were cultivating between 5 to 15 acres of land. Largest percentage among these cultivated less than 5 acres. The owned cultivated land ownership of majority was less than 5 acres with negligible families owning more than 20 acres. More than fifty percent (56.5%) families leased in land for cultivation. Out of these, half of the sample families leased less than 5 acres of land and more than one fourth families (26.54%) between 5-10 acres of land. Farming was primary source of income for very large majority of the farmers. More than half of the farmers were engaged in some secondary occupation with highest percentage engaging in farm based entrepreneurship followed by farming and non-farm based business. Annual income of majority of farmers was upto three lakhs. Income was not significantly different in different zones which was highest in zone IV and least in zone V. Few of the farmers reported being a member of some organization.