Constraints Encountered by Paddy Growers of Tripura

The study was conducted in undivided West Tripura district of Tripura with 180 randomly selected paddy growers. The data collection was done with a structured interview schedule though personal interview method where identified constraints were grouped in three categories such as technological, infrastructural and economical constraints. In order to ascertain the degree of seriousness of the constraints the items under each category were measured in most serious, serious and not so serious level with score 3, 2 and 1, respectively. Out of technological constraints; the most serious problem was occurrence of insect-pests and diseases with mean score 2.45 followed by lack of knowledge on scientific crop production with mean score 2.41 which got 1st and 2nd rank, respectively. Among the infrastructural constraints; the most serious problem was lack of irrigation facilities (MS 2.83, Rank I) and less cultivable land (MS 2.73, Rank II) whereas non-availability of labour during peak period (MS 2.86) was the most serious problem under economical constraints which got 1st rank. The less serious problem was moisture stress during crop growth period (MS 1.45, Rank V) followed by poor seed germination due to low soil moisture at the time of sowing (MS 1.30, Rank VI) under technological constraints with non-availability of quality seed (MS 1.47, Rank VI), non-availability of timely credit facilities (MS 1.47, Rank III) and high cost of agricultural chemicals (MS 1.33, Rank IV) under infrastructural and economical constraints.