Vol. 11, Special Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
RV Adav, PJ Kshirsagar, SS Manerikar, DB Malave and SA Mhatugade

Abstract:
The present study was undertaken in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state to study impact of COVID-19 pandemic on demand and supply of input and output with respect to mango. For this purpose, 60 mango growers were selected randomly from three tahsils viz. Dapoli, Chiplun and Lanja of Ratnagiri district. The per hectare cost of mango production was found to be higher during COVID-19 pandemic compared to before pandemic situation and this was due to high cost of inputs. The supply gap was found negative with respect to all the inputs before and during COVID-19 pandemic. However, this gap was high during COVID-19. The per hectare family labour utilized in mango production during COVID-19 pandemic was increased to 61.40 man days as against 34.22 man days before pandemic. The per hectare input utilization gap in mango production during COVID-19 was found to higher in SSP followed by sterameal. During pandemic due to lockdown market was closed. So, farmers used various methods to sell the produce. Distant marketing of mangoes and marketing through social media and phone calls these marketing channels were adopted for marketing of mango during the pandemic. The net change in income due to sell through these channels was estimated to Rs. 5975 and Rs. 6725 per quintal respectively. Major challenges of agriculture faced by the sample farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic were labour unavailability, delaying in harvesting, low price for cashew produce, high wage rate and loss due to delaying in harvesting. Other than these, problems faced by the farmers were input unavailability, marketing of horticultural produce, transportation availability during the lockdown, market closure, and unavailability of tools and implements during the lockdown and losses due to delaying in transportation.