Study of Knowledge and Adoption of Recommended Jaggary Production Technology

The study indicated that 53.33 per cent of respondents were of old age group, 61.11 per cent of respondents had completed their education up to Secondary and Higher Secondary. All the respondents having agriculture as a main occupation. In addition to agriculture, 81.11 per cent of respondents were enjoying dairy as a subsidiary occupation. Majority of respondents were from joint family having medium family size (42.22 per cent). All respondents were from irrigated farming category , having river water as the major source for irrigation. Ninety three per cent of respondents were having jaggary unit as own proprietary to that of 6.67 per cent had taken it on rent. All the respondents had a knowledge about identification of cane maturity according to physical appearance and crop period, harvesting, post harvest technologies except pH of cane juice (74.44 per cent) and use of pH meter (77.78 per cent) juice temperature and its measurement with thermometer (74.44 per cent). The study revealed that all the respondents adopted identification of cane maturity according to physical appearance and crop period, harvesting. All the respondents adopted cane crushing within 6-12 hrs. All the respondents partially adopted use of phosphoric acid (77.78 per cent). All respondents’ malpractices in market particularly substitute block system. Fluctuations in market rates, irregular electricity supply, unavailability of credit at low interest rates for starting the season, unavailability of skilled labours and knowledge about export system of jaggary were the major constraints faced by them.