USE OF IMPROVED SUGARCANE CUTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES BY THE FARMERS

Abstract

A study was undertaken with the aim to determine the extent of use of improved sugarcane cultivation technologies by the farmers in cultivating sugarcane and also to explore the relationship between selected characteristics of the farmers and their extent of use of improved sugarcane cultivation technologies. Attempt was also made to identify the extent of constraints being faced by the farmers regarding their use of improved technologies. Data for the study were collected by interviewing from 115 selected farmers of Mill Gate sub-zone of Pabna Sugar Mills Ltd. under Ishurdi upazila of Pabna district during 25 April 2008 to 22 May 2008. Highest proportion of the farmers covering 46 percent had medium use of improved sugarcane cultivation technologies followed by 37 percent low use and 17 percent high use of technologies. Out of eleven selected characteristics of the farmers such as education, farm size, farming experience, training exposure, organizational participation, extension media contact, innovativeness, input availability and awareness about improved sugarcane cultivation technologies showed positive significant relationship ith their use of improved sugarcane cultivation technologies. Age and annual family income had no significant relationship with their extent of using improved sugarcane cultivation technologies. The farmers addressed "I ugh demand and high cost of fertilizer" as the highly severe problem when it was least severe in case of "Lack of power tiller". The other rest problems were "Lack of purjee (permit) for supply sugarcane in time, low price of sugarcane, scarcity of fertilizer supply in time, late payment of cane price, lack of training in adoption of improved technologies, lack of 1PM knowledge, inadequate irrigation in dry season, lack of loan from sugar mills and Government, inadequate help from CDA, unavailability of recommended varieties, unavailability of certified seed cane, lack of cattle power thr cultivation and problem in carrying sugarcane".