Journal of Environment and Sociobiology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Wetland Economics. 3. Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Chestnut Cultivation with Two Case Studies


Affiliations
1 Social Environmental and Biological Association, Kolkata, India
2 Kishore Bharati Bhagini Nivedita College, Behala, Kolkata, India
3 Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Cost benefit analysis of water chestnut cultivation in West Bengal is communicated herein with two case studies. Field observations made in Railway jheels of southern West Bengal including Rajarhat areas in Kolkata have revealed that water chestnut, locally called paniphal, is grown of three husk colour, viz., green, red and purple with predominance of green variety in this part of the country. Production process begins actively in June after the lease agreement is made either verbally by the private parties or through tender system by the railway authorities and continues up to the first week of December when harvesting is over. Observations on cultivation, harvesting and marketing as well as case studies suggest it a labour intensive enterprise which requires manure (DAP) for growth of the plant and medicine (pesticide) for pest infestation. Cost benefit analysis for the year 2014, suggests that paniphal farmers earned a meagre amount of ` 1,000- ` 3,000/- (av. ` 2,000/-) per bigha excluding remuneration of the farmer and his household labour during the entire period of cultivation of about six months. Because of its commercial importance, community dependency and livelihood dependency of labourers as well as environmental benefits like nutrient removal and water purification, an integration of paniphal cultivation with pisciculture and integrated wetland management at the Block Level is suggested.

Keywords

Wetland Economics, Water Chestnut Cultivation, Cost Benefit Analysis, Case Studies.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Bandyopadhyay, S. and Puste, A. M. 2001. Effect of carp and fish feed on yield and soil nutrient availability under integrated rice-fish culture. Asian Fisheries Sci., 14: 437-441.

  • Brahmanand, P. S. and Mohanty, R. K. 1999. Rice-fish integration: prospects. Yojana, New Delhi, India, 43(9): 11-12.

  • Dutta, S. K., Konar, S. K. and Mukhopadhyay, P. K. 1984. Paddy and air-breathing fish culture: effect of supplemental feed on the growth and yield of rice and fish. International Rice Res. Newsletter, 9(2): 23-24.

  • Ghosh, A. and Saha, S. K. 1980. Scope for paddy-cum-fish culture in India. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Tropical Ecology. 16-21 April 1979, Kualalampur, Malaysia, pp. 1009-1015.

  • Grist, D. H. 1975. In: Rice. Longman Group Ltd., London. pp. 330.

  • Hummel, M. and Kiviat, E. 2004. Review of World literature on Water chestnut with implications for management in North America. J. Aquat. Plant Manage., 42: 17-28.

  • James, E. J. 1995. Managing the wetlands and their watersheds. Yojana, 39 (1&2): 43-50.

  • Jhingran, V. G. 1991. Fish and fisheries of India. Hindustan, Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, India (3rd ed.), pp. 475-477.

  • Kárpáti, V. and P. Pomogyi. 1979. Accumulation and release of nutrients by aquatic macrophytes. Symp. Biol. Hung, 19: 33-42.

  • Kaul, V., Zutshi, D. P. and Vass, K. K. 1976. Aquatic weeds in Kashmir, pp. 79-83. In: C. K. Varshny and J. Rzóska (eds.). Aquatic weeds in South East Asia: Proc. Regional Seminar on Noxious Aquatic Vegetation, New Delhi, 1973.

  • Maiti, A. K. and Kundu, S. 2015. Analysis of marketing efficiency of water chestnut (Trapa natans L.) in 24-Parganas (North) of West Bengal. Journal Crop and Weed.11(Special Issue): 14-18.

  • Nandi, N. C. 2000. Wetlands of Calcutta metropolis, ENVIS Newsletter, ZSI, 6(2): 8-12.

  • Nandi, N. C. 2004. Conceptual issues and approaches of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of wetland ecosystem. In: P. K. Singhal and P. Shrivastava (eds.): Challenges in Sustainable Development, Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, pp. 46-63.

  • Nandi, N. C. 2011. Wetlands and wetland biodiversity conservation and management scenario in India. J. Environ. & Sociobiol., 8(1): 43-56.

  • Nandi, N. C., Das, A. K. and Dey, A. 2013.Wetland Faunal Diversity of West Bengal. WBBB & NBI, Kolkata, pp. 1-256.

  • Nandi, N. C., Pramanik, S. K., Das, A. K., Dey, Anirudha, and Roy, Mousumi. 2015. Wetland economics. 1. Fish production in Bhomra beel, Nadia district, West Bengal. J. Environ. & Sociobiol., 12(1): 49-52.

  • Navid, D. 1988. Developments under the Ramsar Convention. In: The Ecology and Management of Wetlands, Vol 2: Management, Use and Value of Wetlands, eds. D. D. Hook, W. H. Mckee, Jr. H. K. Smith, J. Gregory, V. G. Burell, Jr. M. R. DeVoe, R. E. Sojka, S. Gilbert, R. Banks, L. H. Stolzy, C. Brooks, T. D. Matthews and T. H. Shear, pp. 21-27.

  • Pradhan, S., Jotwani, M. G. and Sarup, P. 1964. Save your singhara crop. Indian Farming (November): 33-34.

  • Pramanik, S. K. and Nandi, N. C. 2004. Sustainable utilization and management of Bhomra beel, West Bengal. In: P. K. Singhal and P. Shrivastava (eds.): Challenges in Sustainable Development, Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, pp. 318-329.

  • Puste, A. M. and Bandyopadhyay, S. 2000. Effect of different types of carps and fish feed on the growth and yield from paddy cum fish culture. Environment and Agriculture: At the Crossroad of the New Millennium (Nepal), pp. 527-529.

  • Puste, A. M. and Das, D. K. 2001. Optimization of aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem in relation to soil nitrogen status for the cultivation of fish and aquatic food crops of the Indian subtropics, The Scientific World, 2001, 1(2): 130-134.

  • Puste, A. M., Ray Pramanick, B. P., Jana, K., Roy, A., Dasgupta, M., Maiti, A. K. and Basu, D. Utilization of wetland ecosystem through fish-crop diversification for enhanced productivity and economic stability for the fish farm community of the Indian sub-continent. Conference Paper 16, (Please vide: livelihood_waterchestnut. PDF; https://www.google.co.in/#q=water+chestnut+cultivation).

  • Puste, A. M., Sarkar, P. K. and Das, D. K. 2004. Wetland ecosystem - a case study on fish-aquatic food crops diversity for enrichment productivity and economic stability for fish-farm families in Indian subtropics. Proc. of the ‘Twelfth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade (‘IIFET 2004 JAPAN’) held in TUMSAT, Tokyo, Japan, July 20-30, 2004 and published by IIFET, Oregon State University, USA: Theme: Aquaculture Economics and Management, Group 3: 1-8.

  • Tsuchiya, T. and Iwaki, H. 1979. Impact of nutrient enrichment in a water chestnut ecosystem at Takahama-iri Bay of Lake Kasumigaura, Japan. II. Role of water chestnut in primary productivity and nutrient uptake. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 12: 503-510.

  • Tsuchiya, T. and Iwakuma, T. 1993. Growth and leaf life-span of a floating leaved plant, Trapa natans L., as influenced by nitrogen influx. Aquat. Bot., 46: 317-324.


Abstract Views: 547

PDF Views: 2




  • Wetland Economics. 3. Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Chestnut Cultivation with Two Case Studies

Abstract Views: 547  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

N. C. Nandi
Social Environmental and Biological Association, Kolkata, India
Mousumi Roy
Kishore Bharati Bhagini Nivedita College, Behala, Kolkata, India
Koushik Deuti
Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India

Abstract


Cost benefit analysis of water chestnut cultivation in West Bengal is communicated herein with two case studies. Field observations made in Railway jheels of southern West Bengal including Rajarhat areas in Kolkata have revealed that water chestnut, locally called paniphal, is grown of three husk colour, viz., green, red and purple with predominance of green variety in this part of the country. Production process begins actively in June after the lease agreement is made either verbally by the private parties or through tender system by the railway authorities and continues up to the first week of December when harvesting is over. Observations on cultivation, harvesting and marketing as well as case studies suggest it a labour intensive enterprise which requires manure (DAP) for growth of the plant and medicine (pesticide) for pest infestation. Cost benefit analysis for the year 2014, suggests that paniphal farmers earned a meagre amount of ` 1,000- ` 3,000/- (av. ` 2,000/-) per bigha excluding remuneration of the farmer and his household labour during the entire period of cultivation of about six months. Because of its commercial importance, community dependency and livelihood dependency of labourers as well as environmental benefits like nutrient removal and water purification, an integration of paniphal cultivation with pisciculture and integrated wetland management at the Block Level is suggested.

Keywords


Wetland Economics, Water Chestnut Cultivation, Cost Benefit Analysis, Case Studies.

References