Farmers Acreage Allocation Response in districts of Chhattisgarh Plains Zone: An Acreage Response Analysis of Paddy, Wheat and Gram

Abstract

The study has been undertaken with the major objective to estimate the acreage allocation decision of paddy, wheat and gram farmers in selected districts (viz., Raipur, Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Durg) of Chhattisgarh plains zone with using 20 years (2000-01 to 2019-20) of secondary data of area and yield of paddy, wheat and gram and the different variables identified viz., lagged relative prices, current season rainfall, area and yield of competing crop maize, wheat and gram. Findings of the study include that the lagged area along with the current year rainfall had significantly contributed more in increasing acreage allocation of farmers of paddy under Raipur and Dhamtari districts. The area under wheat in Dhamtari district had declined, this decline was significantly contributed by lagged relative prices, area and lagged yield under gram. While the acreage of wheat in Durg district had found increased which was contributed more by the significant move with the last year’s absolute area and yield, current season rainfall and lagged relative prices. The lagged area, lagged relative prices, lagged yield and current season rainfall had highly significantly helped to boost the gram in terms of absolute area and had maximum area in Durg compare to other selected district of Chhattisgarh plains. The lagged relative prices, area of wheat and lagged yield of wheat had significant led to decrease area under gram in Raipur as well as in Mahasamund district over the study period. Further, the estimates of short-run and long-run price elasticities with respect to acreage of paddy, wheat and gram indicated the inelastic supply of these crops. Study suggested need for education and training to the farmers in respect of new crop production technology, etc., which will help in bringing about the desired changes in the cropping pattern.