Problems Associated With Production

 

 1. COST OF CULTIVATION : Today, to start with areca cultivation one should have patience, commitment, high behalf in hard labour and ability to invest lakhs of rupees. Preparation of land for planting, fencing digging and opening of drains, digging of fits for areca planting, cost of areca seedlings and planting, manures, fertilizers, irrigation charges, plant protection measures, mulching and shading expenses, crop operations, cleaning of drains, application of fresh earth and management of intercrops are the major components of cost involved in the cultivation of arecanut in the Dist.
 

2. PESTS CAUSING MAJOR CROP LOSS : Arecanut cultivation in the study area is subjected to disturbance by several insert and non-insect pests. These insects could infest all parts of the areca palm from the root to areca fruits and inflorescence to leaves. The major pests causing considerable crop loss to the farmers will comprise of Mites, Spindle bugs, Inflorescence, Caterpillars and Root grubs. These pests are either seasonal or persistent on the crop. Apart from this, other minor pasts like Nursery pests, stem feeders, Leaf feeders. Inflorescence bunch, and Tender nut feeders are considered to be stumbling block in the course of production.

 

3. DISEASES : Arecanut palm in the Dist. is reported to be affected by a number of diseases during different stages of its growth and development. ‘Around 20 types of diseases causing varying degrees of damages to the tree have been discovered and identified in India’. However, in UK Dist. the following major nine types of diseases are reported to be responsible for the downfall in the process of production activity.
        - Yellow leaf diseases (YLD)or ‘Chandi roga’.
        - Mahali (‘Kole roga’)
        - ‘Anabe roga’ or foot rot.
        - Inflorescence dieback and butten shedding.
        - Bud rot.
        - The bound or ‘Hiimundige’.
        - Sun scirch or Stem breaking.
        - Nut splitting.
         - Fungal infection.

4. PROBLEM OF WATER AND IRRIGATION DIFICULTIES : Generally U.K Dist is a place of fluminous (abounding in rivers). Still, in recent years farmers are facing water problem here and there, due to lack of canalized water supply system and erratic rain effect. Moreover, reduced level of ground water has added fuel to the burning problems. Though there are many ponds in the high land area, now which are laying wasted with full of mud, due to negative attitude shown from the authorities concerned or organized body of farmers or the individual farmers, to clean and dredge the ponds for utilizing its water.

5. EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION, DWINDLING AND DWINING OF GREEN FORESTS : Geographically, U.K. Dist. is spread over an area of 10,29,679 ha., out of which 80 percent is forest land and only 1,38,711 ha., are available for cultivation. But today so called green and lustrous compact of dense forest depicts the dwining scene due to power projects and other projects in the name of development. Finally this deforestation effect has made deep impact on areca farming. It could be seen from the attack of wild animals and birds, infest in the areca garden, reduction in water supply, increased temperature, decreasing rain etc., Besides this providing grebe leaf manure has become costly for the farmers, it has badly damaged the yield of production.

6. LACK OF LABOUR SAVING APPLIANCES : Till today, areca cultivation has maintained its unique nature of labour intensive system. Problems of labour has created the urgent need and  necessary of labour saving appliances. However, these are not made available to the desired extent, which has posed its contributions to the problems of production.

7. PROBLEMS OF MAINTAINING STABILITY IN YIELD AND PRODUCTION : Rate of yield differs from place to place in the Dist. on the contrary, yield rate is not stable due to climate variations, rain, diseases, and pests. So that growers will have to face the situation of instability in the production and yield as well. This trend will have impinging impact on the socio-economic development of the growers.

8. DIFFICULTY IN GROWING INTERCROPS : Over the period of decades, U.K. Dist. has maintained its traditional popularity in producing intercrops like Pepper, Cardmom, Banana, Betelvine, and coconut. But,, for the last fifteen years it has become difficult to grow these intercrops due to various diseases, erratic rate behavior, disturbance posed by the animals and birds etc., Therefore, failure of sub crops has accelerated the problems of areca gardeners , having affected on their yield on the other hand, on the economic life on the other.

9. PROBLEMS OF CROP MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION : Unlike other agricultural crops areca is to be maintained properly to enjoy the benefits of better yielding. It has to be protected at all the stages before during and after the harvest from the natural calamities, animals, theft etc.,