CONTACT FARMING IN SUGARCANE CULTIVATION; GROWER’S PERCEPTION AND CONSTRAINTS

Contract farming has provided alternative market for the small holders with substantial income. The study conducted with each of 80 contracted and non-contracted sugarcane growers in Nayagarh district of Odisha revealed that majority of the sugarcane growers were small farmers having varied socio-economic attributes. They had good perception towards benefit of the contract farming and knowledge about important practices in sugarcane cultivation. But, very poor facilities were availed by the respondents from the contracting sugar industry. No written agreement, insurance coverage, transparency in measurement, attempt for farm mechanization, clarification and understanding on suggested technologies, sale price not fixed over the production cost, produce not lifted in time and harassment in payment, cluster approach not followed and incompetent field staffs were the pertinent constraints stated by the respondents. Hence, the sugar industry officials have to analyze all these aspects and provide all possible supports for benefit of both the contracted growers and contracting firms as well as sustainability of the contract farming in sugarcane cultivation.