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ABSTRACT
The study was aimed to assess the perceived opinion developing countries, and should be considered as an
of rice growers
rowers on benefits and also the constraints essentiall input to agriculture (Rasouli et al. 2009).
encountered by the rice growers on farm Farm mechanization refers to application of
mechanization. A sample of 160 rice growers from engineering and technology in agricultural operations
eight villages in Thamirabarani command area was in a better way to enhance the productivity. This
selected for the study. The respondents were includes development, application and management of
interviewed personally through a well--structured and all mechanical aids for field operation, water control,
pre-tested interview schedule. The study revealed that material handling, storing and processing. Mechanical
the Overall Mean Opinion Score was 3.91 which aids include hand tools, animal drawn implements,
indicated that farm mechanization was beneficial to machineries like power tiller, tractor, oil engines,
the rice growers in many aspects. The major benefits electric motors, combine harvesters, processing and
of farm mechanization as perceived erceived by the handling equipment.
respondents were farm mechanization helped in
operating agricultural works quickly (MOS 4.97), The food grain production n of India during 2015-16
2015
performing farm operations in time (MOS 4.86), was 252 million tonnes. The ICAR in its Vision 2020
overcoming labour shortage problem (MOS 4.75), document has projected the demand of food grains as
minimizing work burden of labours (MOS 4.61) and about 293.6 million tonnes by 2020. By 2020, the
improving
mproving working condition of farmers (MOS 4.03). workforce in agriculture is going to be reduced to
Regarding constraints, most of the respondents about 35 per cent of the total
otal workers in the country
expressed lack of credit facilities (98.75 per cent), as against 52 per cent in 2010. Therefore, higher
high fuel cost (98.75 per cent), high initial cost (97.50 levels of farm mechanization are necessary to
per cent), low resale value for farm implements and optimise productivities and profitability.
machineries (97.50 per cent), high maintenance cost
(95.00 per cent), lack of training (94.38 per cent) and Empirical evidence confirms that there is a strong
lack of skilled labourers for operating improved farm correlation between farm mechanization and
implements and machineries (93.13 per cent) as the agricultural productivity. Globally, the level of farm
constraints in rice mechanization. mechanization is 95 per cent in USA and Western
Europe, 80 per cent in Russia, 75 per cent in Brazil,
Keywords: Rice, farm mechanization, perceived 48 perr cent in China and 40 per cent in India. Indian
opinion on benefits, constraints. agricultural sector still lags and requires an increase in
farm equipment.
1. INTRODUCTION
Agricultural mechanization technology plays a key Rice is one of the most important food crops and it is
role in improving agricultural production in consumed by more than 60 per cent population in our
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International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
S. Benefits of Strongly Agree Undeci Disagree Strongly TOS* MOS*
No mechanization Agree ded Disagree
It could be observed from Table 2 that 96.88 percent Most of the respondents (97.50 per cent) agreed and
of the respondents strongly agreed and 3.12 per cent 2.5 per cent of the respondents strongly agreed that
of the respondents agreed that farm mechanization farm mechanization helped in improving working
helped in operating agricultural works quickly (MOS condition of farmers (MOS 4.03).
4.97) followed by 86.25 per cent of the respondents
strongly agreed and 13.75 per cent of the respondents More than four fifths of the respondents (86.88 per
agreed that farm mechanization helped in performing cent) agreed that farm mechanization helped in
farm operations in time (MOS 4.86). motivating workers to acquire new skills and
competencies (MOS 3.84) followed by 83.75 per cent
Exactly three fourths of the respondents (75.00 per of the respondents agreed that farm mechanization
cent) strongly agreed and the remaining one fourth of helped in enhancing capacity building of farmers
the respondents (25.00 per cent) agreed that farm (MOS 3.83) .
mechanization helped in overcoming labour shortage
problem (MOS 4.75) followed by just more than three More than three fourths of the respondents (78.12 per
fifths of the respondents (61.25 per cent) strongly cent) agreed and 5.63 per cent of the respondents
agreed and the remaining 38.75 per cent of the strongly agreed that farm mechanization helped in
respondents agreed that farm mechanization helped in increasing the area under rice cultivation (MOS 3.79).
minimizing work burden of labourers (MOS 4.61). Similarly more than two thirds of the respondents
The finding, farm mechanization helped in (67.50 per cent) agreed and 6.88 per cent of the
overcoming the labour shortage problem is in respondents strongly agreed that farm mechanization
confirmation with the finding of (Thakur et al., 2016). helped in minimizing post-harvest losses (MOS 3.69).
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 5 | Jul-Aug 2018 Page: 315
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
More than three fifths of the respondents (63.75 per More than one fourth of the respondents (28.75 per
cent) agreed and 3.75 per cent of the respondents cent) agreed and 1.25 per cent of the respondents
strongly agreed that farm mechanization helped in strongly agreed that farm mechanization helped in
increasing agricultural productivity (MOS 3.67). The providing employment opportunities to educated
finding is in line with the finding of (Singh et al., unemployed youth (MOS 3.05) followed by 26.88 per
2011). cent of the respondents agreed and 1.25 per cent of
the respondents strongly agreed that farm
More than half of the respondents (55.00 per cent) mechanization helped in attracting youth towards
agreed and 8.12 per cent of the respondents strongly agriculture (MOS 3.01).
agreed that farm mechanization helped in reducing
cost of cultivation (MOS 3.52). This finding is in The Overall Mean Opinion Score was 3.91 which
conformity with the finding of (Singh et al., 2011). indicated that farm mechanization was beneficial to
the rice growers in many aspects.
Similarly 55.00 percent of the respondents agreed and
1.25 per cent of the respondents strongly agreed that 3.2. Constraints encountered by rice growers in
farm mechanization helped in efficient utilization of mechanization
inputs (MOS 3.51).
An attempt was made to assess the constraints faced
Just more than half of the respondents (51.88 per cent) by the respondents in adoption of farm mechanization
agreed that farm mechanization helped in enhancing in rice cultivation in Thamirabarani command area of
integration and cooperation among farmers (MOS Tamil Nadu and the results are given in Table 2.
3.50)
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 5 | Jul-Aug 2018 Page: 316
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
More than ninety per cent of the respondents (94.38 This finding is supported by the findings of (Patil et
per cent) expressed lack of training on use of farm al., 2001), (Panghal et al., 2006), and (Singh et al.,
implements and machineries as the constraint. This 2011) who also reported inadequate repair and service
finding is in conformity with the findings of (Vanetha, facilities.
2006) and (Thakur et al., 2016).
Lack of availability of spare parts was stated as
Lack of skilled labourers for operating improved farm constraint by 16.88 per cent of the respondents. This
implements and machineries was reported as finding draws support from the findings of (Patil et
constraint by 93.13 per cent per cent of the al., 2001) who reported lack of availability of spare
respondents. The finding is in accordance with the parts as constraint.
findings of (Patil et al., 2001) and (Vanetha, 2006)
who also reported lack of skilled labourers for 4. Conclusion
operating farm implements and machineries as The study focused on the opinion of the rice growers
constraint for mechanization. on the benefits of farm mechanization revealed that
farm mechanization was beneficial to the rice growers
More than four fifths of the respondents stated high in many aspects. The major benefits of farm
tax rate (84.38 per cent) and high hiring charges mechanization as perceived by the respondents were
(83.13 per cent) as constraints in rice mechanization. that farm mechanization helped in operating
The findings are in agreement with the findings of agricultural works quickly, performing farm
(Anandaraja, 1999) who reported high hiring charges operations in time, overcoming labour shortage
as constraint for mechanization. problem, minimizing work burden of labours and
improving working condition of farmers.The study
Just more than three fifths of the respondents (61.25 identified many constraints in farm mechanization
per cent) expressed inadequate hiring agencies in their .Majority of the respondents expressed lack of credit
area as the constraint. The finding is in line with the facilities, high fuel cost, high initial cost, low resale
findings of (Panghal and Deep, 2006) who also value for farm implements and machineries , high
reported low custom hire facilities as constraint. maintenance cost, lack of training on use of farm
implements and machineries, Lack of skilled
A frequent repair was reported as constraint by nearly labourers for operating improved farm implements
half of the respondents (49.38 per cent). Low and machines, high tax rate, high hiring charges and
efficiency of implements and machineries was inadequate hiring agencies as the major constraints in
reported as constraint by 29.38 per cent of the rice mechanization. Specific strategies should be
respondents. This finding is in accordance with the evolved by the change agency to eliminate the
finding of (Wang, 2003) who reported low efficiency constraints experienced by the rice growers for
of implements and machineries. enhancing rice mechanization in Thamirabarani
command area.
Lack of awareness about improved farm machineries
was reported as constraint by 23.75 per cent of the References
respondents. The finding is in conformity with the
findings of (Bhatia, 1986), (Vanetha, 2006) and 1. Anandaraja, N. (1999). Farm mechanization in
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2. Bhatia, B. S. (1986). Multivariate study of
adoption of selected agricultural engineering
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Ludhiana.
and machineries and unsuitable farm implements and
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of Haryana State. Agricultural Science Digest,
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as constraint by 18.75 per cent of the respondents.
@ IJTSRD | Available Online @ www.ijtsrd.com | Volume – 2 | Issue – 5 | Jul-Aug 2018 Page: 317
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) ISSN: 2456-6470
4. Patil, V. G., Chorge, K. V., & Desai, A. N. (2001). 7. Thakur, P., & Sharma, D. (2016). Farmers’
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Portal (RKMP), Directorate of rice research, International Rice Research Conference,, Beijing,
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