Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2010, 1(4): 448-450

Land Use and Cropping Pattern Followed by Vegetable Growers in

Eastern Utter Pradesh
Sanjay Prakash Singh, A K Singh* and Sudhakar Dwivedi
Division of Agricultural Economics and Statistics,
S. K. University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Main Campus Chatha-180 009, Jammu, India
*Department of Agricultural Economics, U. P. Autonomous College, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: sanjayprakash_singh@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
This study attempts to analysis the land use pattern, cropping pattern, intensity and coverage under
vegetable crops in different farm size groups under study. This study was confined to Ghazipur districts of
Varanasi division in Eastern region of Uttar Pradesh on the basis of considerable coverage of area under
the important vegetable corps. Per farm average size of farms comes to 1.47ha of which the maximum i e
1.44ha was operated area. The overall coverage of area under kharif, rabi and zaid vegetable crops come
to 1.31ha, 1.05ha and 0.46ha, respectively. The overall intensity of cropping comes to 196.76 per cent and
shows that farm size decreases the intensity of cropping increases. Chilli in kharif season, potato in rabi
season and onion in zaid were covered highest area under cultivation.

Key words: Cropping pattern, Land use pattern, Zaid vegetable crops, Gross cropped area

India is the second largest producer of vegetables in MATERIALS AND METHODS

the world after china. It is a wonderland, which is
endowed with various types of vegetables, grown round
the year. Cauliflower crop is the fifth most important
vegetable crop of the country, primarily grown in the
winter season. Cabbage is the third major vegetable
crop, primarily grown in the winter season. India ranks
fifth in the area and production of potato, which is
grown in the vast Indo-Gangetic plains of northern
India. Onion is the fourth most important commercial
vegetable crop of the country. The major onion
producing states are Gujarat, Maharashtra and
Karnataka. Okra is sixth important crop vegetable crop
cultivated throughout the country. In the Eastern region
of Uttar Pradesh, the potential packets of major
vegetable production are Varanasi, Ghazipur, Faizabad,
Jaunpur, Sultanpur and few others, Ghazipur district of
Varanasi division has been identified as the main
producer of green chilli, potato, onion, tomato, cole
crops, okra and brinjal. Keeping the above cited facts in
view this research study was done with the following
objectives:
 To examine the land use pattern on the farms of
sample vegetable growers.
 To study the cropping pattern intensity in the area
under study.
 To analyze the coverage under main vegetable crops
across season on the farm of vegetable growers.
 To give suggestions for diversification and
intensification of cropping.
Hypothesis
Whether the coverage under vegetable crops has
increased on the farms or not?
The present investigation was confined to Ghazipur
district of Varanasi division in eastern region of Uttar
Pradesh on the basis of considerable coverage of area
under the important vegetable crops. From the five
vegetable mandies of this district three mandies area
were undertaken on the basis of maximum arrival of
important vegetables. From these mandies, five villages
from each mandi were selected in the basis of maximum
production important vegetables. From these villages
the list of vegetables growers was taken and categorized
into four size-group i e (1) Marginal (0-1ha), (2) Small
(1-2ha), (3) Medium (2-4 ha) and (4) Large (above
4ha). Sample vegetables growers were selected
according to probability preparation to total numbers in
each size group restricting the total samples to 140 in
all. Primary data pertaining to land use cropping pattern
and coverage were collected by survey method through
schedule and questionnaires. Supporting secondary data
were also collected. The reference period was
agriculture year 1999-2000. Only simple mathematical
analysis was done to get results.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Land use pattern on the sample farms
The average owned area per farm was estimated to
1.47 ha of which the maximum i e 1.44 was operated
area (Table 1). Thus on average the uncultivated area
was quite negligible which classifies that maximum
area on the farms was cultivated. The size group wise
analysis shows that the operated area per farm was
found increasing with the increase in the size of farm.
Similarly the extent of uncultivated area per farm was
also found increasing with the increase in the size of
farms.

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 Singh et al.
Table 1 Size group wise land use pattern on the sample respective kharif vegetable crops was increased with the
farms of vegetable growers increase in the size of farms. The coverage under other
Holding size No. of Area Area Area vegetable crops was also considerable.
group Samples owned uncultivated operated
(ha)
Marginal (0-1ha) 74 0.50 0.01 0.49 Coverage under main rabi vegetable crops
During rabi season the maximum i e 0.53ha per
Small (1-2ha) 31 1.53 0.02 1.51 farm was covered under potato. The next important rabi
Medium (2-4ha)
vegetables crop was cauliflower covering 0.23ha per
19 2.58 0.10 2.48
farm while the average coverage per farm under rabi
Large (above 4 ha) 16 4.59 0.15 4.44 vegetables was estimated to 0.29ha (Table 4). Thus,
potato followed by cauliflowers was found as main rabi
All Groups 140 1.47 0.03 1.44 vegetable crop grow by almost all the farmers in the

Table 2 Size group wise cropping pattern and intensity of cropping on the farms of sample vegetable growers
Holding Size No. of Area Area Area Area Gross Cropping
groups samples operated covered in covered in covered in cropped area (Intensity)
kharif rabi zaid
Marginal 74 0.49 0.48 0.38 0.17 1.03 212.35
Small 31 1.51 1.48 1.14 0.53 3.15 209.21
Medium 19 2.48 2.45 1.85 0.72 5.02 202.17
Large 16 4.44 3.45 3.01 1.40 7.87 177.02
All Groups 140 1.44 1.31 1.05 0.46 2.82 196.76
Table 3 Size group wise coverage under main kharif vegetable crops vegetable crops on the farms of sample
vegetable growers
Holding size No. of Area operated Area covered under kharif vegetable
groups samples Green Chilli Brinjal Others Total
Marginal 74 0.49 0.23 0.15 0.10 0.48
Small 31 1.51 1.74 0.34 0.40 1.48
Medium 19 2.48 1.25 0.52 0.68 2.45
Large 16 4.44 1.74 0.80 0.91 3.45
All Groups 140 1.44 0.62 0.32 0.37 1.31

Cropping pattern and intensity of cropping
The coverage of area under kharif vegetables was
highest i e 1.31ha per farm. The coverage under rabi
vegetable was 1.05ha per farm while the coverage under
zaid vegetable was quite negligible i e 0.46 ha per farm
an average (Table 2). Thus the average gross cropped
area per farm was estimated to 2.82ha which shows an
average cropping intensity of 196.76 percent as a
whole. The size group wise analysis indicates that the
coverage under vegetable crops was increased with the
increase in the size of farms during all the respective
seasons. Accordingly the gross cropped area was also
increasing with the increase in the size of farms while
the cropping intensity on various sizes of farms was
decreased with the increase in the size of farm on an
average.
Coverage under main kharif vegetable crops
The maximum area i e 0.62ha per farm was
covered under green chilli followed by 0.32ha under
brinjal and 0.37ha under other crops while the average
coverage under kharif season was 1.31ha per farm
(Table 3). Thus, green chilli has emerged as main kharif
vegetable crop followed by brinjal. The size group wise
analysis shows that the coverage under all the
area under study. The size group wise analysis of
coverage shows that it was increasing in the size of
farms on an average.
Coverage under main zaid vegetable crops
During zaid season the coverage under onion was
estimated as highest i e 0.23ha per farm while the total
coverage under zaid vegetable was 0.46ha per farm.
The next important zaid vegetable crop was bottle
ground. Thus, coverage under onion was maximum
during zaid season on an average. The size group wise
analysis shows that coverage under respective zaid
crops was increasing with the increase in the size of
farms on an average.
CONCLUSION
Chilli in kharif season, potato in rabi season and
onion zaid were emerged as main vegetable crops in the
area under study. Among all the kharif vegetables chilli
was found as main vegetable crop. Among main rabi
vegetable crops i e potato, tomato, cauliflower and
cabbage grown in the area under study potato was the
crop covering maximum area. Among zaid vegetables
onion was main crop covering maximum area. Among
zaid vegetable onion was main crop covering maximum

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 Land Use and Cropping Pattern Followed by Vegetable Growers
Table 4 Size group wise coverage under main rabi vegetable corps vegetable crops on the farms of sample
vegetable growers
Holding size groups No. of Area operated Area covered under kharif vegetable
samples Green Chilli Brinjal Others Total
Marginal 74 0.49 0.19 0.11 0.08 0.38
Small 31 1.51 0.58 0.25 0.31 1.14
Medium 19 2.48 0.92 0.42 0.51 1.85
Large 16 4.44 1.58 0.65 0.78 3.01
All Groups 140 1.44 0.53 0.23 0.29 1.05

Table 5 Size group wise coverage under main zaid vegetable corps vegetable crops on the farms of sample
vegetable growers
Holding size No. of Area operated Area covered under kharif vegetable
groups samples Green Chilli Brinjal Others Total
Marginal 74 0.49 0.08 0.03 0.06 0.17
Small 31 1.51 0.24 0.10 0.19 0.53
Medium 19 2.48 0.36 0.12 0.24 0.72
Large 16 4.44 0.78 0.22 0.40 1.40
All Groups 140 1.44 0.23 0.10 0.13 0.46

area. As regards land use the maximum area on the
farms was cultivated on an average. Extent of
uncultivated area was higher on the larger farms. The
gross cropped area per farm was 2.82ha on an average
which indicates an average cropping intensive of
196.76%. The intensity of cropping was decreasing with
the increase in the size of farms, chilli and brinjal in
kharif, potato and cauliflower in rabi and onion as well
as bottleguard were the main vegetable crops which
covered maximum area. Thus the hypothesis put for
study is proved the accepted.
SUGGESTIONS
1. Other important vegetable crops must also be
included during kharif and seasons in the area
under study.
2. For increasing the area under vegetable crops in the
remote area the majority of marginal and small
opined to increase marketing facilities through the
small depots.
3. For increasing the area under vegetable crops
during zaid season majority of vegetable of
growers viewed to increase irrigation facilities and
regular supply of electricity/diesel /petrol in the
area under study.
4. For increase their coverage under vegetable crops
during the seasons, particularly during kharif and
zaid seasons.
5. The larger vegetable growers must be encouraged
to grow vegetable on commercial scale for
receiving remunerative prices and profit from their
vegetable production.

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