Vol. 11, Special Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Kalamkar RB, MC Ahire, SB Bhange, SR Kulkarni and CA Nimbalkar

Abstract:
The present study was conducted to study information processing and output behaviour of pomegranate growers in Nashik and Solapur Districts of Maharashtra. From each district three tahsils were selected. From each tahsil five villages were selected. From each village 10 pomegranate growers were selected by random sampling method. In case of regular use of information input sources, friends were ranked first. Pomegranate is a hugely profitable crop that can end subsistence farming and hence reduce poverty, especially in the rural areas of Maharashtra. It is a crop with a high market value, and the whole tree has economic value. For a good production of pomegranate, pomegranate growers must have good knowledge about the package of practices. Pomegranate growers get the varieties of information from variety of sources. But question of how do they process the received information and how do they utilize the received information were remains unanswered. Hence, it was necessary to study the information processing and output behavior of pomegranate growers. Nashik and Solapur district were selected for conduct of study because they are the top pomegranate producing districts in Maharashtra. Pomegranate growers were asked about their information processing and information output behaviour. It was concluded that majority of the pomegranate growers were mainly evaluated the information by discussion with family members, by evaluating farm experience, by discussion with friends and discussion with progressive farmers. It was also concluded that majority of pomegranate growers were mainly stored the information by memorizing, practicing the method and preserving printed material and transformed the information by discussing the self-experience and by normal conversations. It is concluded that the majority of the pomegranate growers were regularly disseminating farm information to their family members, friends, relatives and neighbours regularly and person contacted him and methods regularly used were by providing information to farmers whom visited at their home, by making telephone call, Informal discussion with neighbor farmers, Friends and other farmer, he/she disseminate the information occasionally to other through various programmes organized by Agricultural Department and participating in various activities of different institutes. They never use methods for dissemination information like by participation in singing the song, making YouTube video, by giving the speech in Gramsabha, by inviting farmers on own demonstration plot and by arranging special meeting.