ON FARM ANALYSIS OF COTTON GROWERS HANDICAPS: EVIDENCE FROM COTTON BELT OF PAKISTAN

Man has utilized cotton for his assistance since ancient times. The importance of cotton crop can hardly be over emphasized in the Pakistan’s economy. Cotton is an export-earning crop and it provides raw material for the local textile industry as well. Over 1000 ginning factories and 400 textile mills (which is a yawning investment) closely depends upon cotton. The livelihood of millions of farmers & of those employed along the complete cotton value chain is dependent on this single crop. Certain threats to cotton crop in the fields of production, protection and marketing are under discussion now a days because of likelihood of huge production as well as economic loss. According to the estimate cotton is dropping off some 10-15% of its value due to low quality pertinent to certain threats. In this context present study was conducted in Sub-District Jampur of District Rajanpur. Total 120 cotton growers were selected as respondents through multistage random sampling technique. Data were collected using well-structured, validated and pre tested interview schedule. The collected data were statistically analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that high price of diesel, agricultural inputs and pesticides were the prominent problems raised by the growers regarding production and protection aspects of crop. Marketing appeared one of the significant problems and middle man monopoly was the leading constraints affecting the growers directly it is need of hour to remove these constraints from the grass root level and in this regard government should initiate interventions like provision of incentives, lowering the rates of agricultural inputs and fixed rate of cotton for a season foe direct benefit of growers. In addition, middleman should be regularised in the system so that farmers may be saved from their monopoly.