EFFECT OF TRANSFORMATION OF CROPLAND INTO LITCHI ORCHARD IN DINAJPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to find out the extent and effect of transformation of cropland into litchi orchard, to determine and describe some selected characteristics of the litchi growers, to identify the problems faced by the litchi growers in transformation of cropland into litchi orchard and probable suggestions given by them to overcome the problems. The study was conducted in Sadar and Biral upazila of Dinajpur District. An updated list of (266) litchi growers was collected from Upazila Agriculture Office of respective upazilas. From that list, 80 litchi growers were selected by simple random sampling procedure as sample for this study. A pretested and structured interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents 15 April to 15 May, 2015. Ten selected characteristics of the litchi growers namely: age, educational qualification, farm size, farming experience, annual family income, extension contact, agricultural knowledge, innovativeness, marketing orientation, and attitude towards technology were investigated. Transformation of cropland into litchi orchard was the focus issue of the study. During the last 10 years (2005 to 2014) the area of transplanted land was 37.653 ha out of 134.338 ha of total land. The percentage of transformation in the year 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were 20.62, 36.02, 43.20, 36.30, 16.85, 13.25, 28.37, 62.22, 41.35 and 35.60 percent respectively were replaced by litchi. Farmers of the study area transform their cropland into litchi orchard in the year of 2005 to 2014 were 09.669, 13.198, 02.070, 03.093, 02.098, 01.273, 01.397, 02.228, 01.157 and 01.470 ha respectively. The major crops such as rice, maize and wheat, and some minor crops i.e. potato, vegetable, mustard, garlic, turmeric and napier grass were replaced by litchi. The effect of transformation on economic, environmental, household food security, and social status were considered as medium by 60.00 percent, 70.00 percent, 61.25 percent, and 58.75 percent respectively of the litchi growers. The most important problem identified by the litchi growers was ‘getting fair price is difficult due to interfere of middleman’ and the least problem was identified by the litchi growers was ‘high production cost’. On the other hand, the apex solution suggested by the respondents was ‘organizing more training program for the farmers’ while the least one was ‘appropriate co-ordination among the litchi farmers’.