Impact of mechanization on rice fallow pulses in cauvery delta zone of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

The rice fallow pulses crop is one of the major crop in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu state, in recent years the area under rice fallow pulses are dwindling due to use of heavy machinery like combine harvesters and tractor mounted balers. Hence, this study was conducted with an objective to assess the impact of mechanization on the rice fallow pulse and to quantify the economic loss due to non-cultivation of rice fallow pulses. Multistage Stratified Random Sampling method was employed for drawing the 100 numbers of samples farm households from Kumbakonam and Orathanadu blocks of Thanjavur district.Among the various consequences, season skipping was the main consequence of heavy machinery usage in rice farming on pulses cultivation in both the study blocks. The reduction in yield of fallow pulses to the tune of more than 50 per cent was felt as the major impact of mechanization in rice farming. Farmers in both the study blocks have cited that the reduction in yield was the major impact which was due to sub optimal plant population due to use of combine harvesters and tractor mounted balers. Non-availability of labour and associated higher cost for labourers was the prime for preference of heavy machineries like combine harvesters and balers in rice farming. It is suggested for development of paddy harvesters specifically for the regions where rice fallow pulses were practices, promotion of irrigated pulses in alternate season and to extend the price incentive which would incentivize the farmers to bring more area under pulses crops.