Year: 2015 | Month: June | Volume 60 | Issue 2
A study on effect of Change in Prices of inputs and outputs on food security of Agricultural Households in Coastal Saline Zone of West Bengal
Nimit Kumar
Gunadhar Dey
DOI:10.5958/0976-4666.2015.00034.0
Abstract:
The study was conducted in Kakdwip block of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Primary data were collected from 56 agricultural households belonging to two villages by the technique of Simple Random Sampling without Replacement. The reference years of the study are 2001-02 and 2011-12 agril years. The study aimed at finding change in income of the agricultural households earned from crop production in a period from 2001-02 and 2011-12 agricultural years owing to changes in price of inputs and agricultural commodities. The study also attempted to find capabilities of agricultural households in maintaining food security with their income earned from crop production at two points in time. Requirement of food commodities of agricultural households was estimated on the basis of dietary guidelines regarding balanced diet for people given by National Institute of Nutrition under the aegis of Indian Council of Medical Research. Results of the study revealed that agricultural land was allocated to a number of crops like aman paddy, lathyrus, vegetables boro paddy and betelvine. Cropping intensity was found to decrease with the higher size classes of farms. Percentage of irrigated land was noted to be the highest in marginal size class. Cost per farm was found to escalate by 139 per cent due to increase in prices of inputs. Gross return per farm went up by 122 per cent. Net income earned from crop production could meet only 26% of expenditure on food materials in 2001-02. In 2011-12 only 21 percent of the food security was insured by this income.
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