USE OF IMPROVED PRACTICES BY THE FARMERS IN LITCHI CULTIVATION

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to determine the extent of use of improved practices in litchi cultivation by the farmers and to explore its relationship with selected characteristics of the farmers. Three villages of Magura Sadar Upazilla namely Ichakada, Hazrapur and Mithapur were selected as lacale of the study. Out of515 farmers of these three villages 103 (20 percent) farmers were randomly selected as the sample for this study. Data were collected from the selected farmers through interview by using an interview schedule during July 1 to August 09, 2012.Use of improved practices in litchi cultivation by the farmers was ascertained through four point rating scale. Coefficient of correlation was used in order to analyze data in fulfilling the objectives. The highest proportion (69.90 percent) of the farmers had medium use while 22.34 percent had low use and only 7.76 percent had high use of improved practices. Extension contact, agricultural knowledge, innovativeness and farming experience had positive relationship with their use of improved practices in litchi cultivation, while age, education, litchi cultivation area and annual income had no significant relationship with their use of improved practices. The major problems in litchi cultivation were packaging problem, insect attack, Lack of extension service, Lack of credit, Lack of skilled labors, Problems of irrigation in dry season, High price of fertilizer, Disease infestation, Lack of improved seedling.