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AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE VARIOUS MEASURES OF CITRUS PRODUCTION IN IMPROVING THE SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS OF CITRUS GROWERS (A CASE STUDY OF NANGARHAR PROVINCE- AFGHANISTAN)

. SALAHUDDIN HIDAYAT & MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN


Abstract

Agricultural Extension services serves are the main pillars for increasing the production of citrus growers by playing the role in improving the economic status for encouraging the agriculture producers of war affected country of Afghanistan through sustainable agriculture. The current research study was carried out to investigate the yield and income of the citrus producers in Nangarhar Province-Afghanistan. Nangarhar Province was selected as universe of the study where multi stage sampling technique was used for the required study. Nangarhar province is comprised of 22 Districts where District Bati Kot was selected purposively. From12 villages 5 villages were selected on basis of citrus cultivation. A list of 200 citrus growers was obtained from Agriculture Extension Department. For data collection 60% of the citrus growers were sampled by following proportional allocation technique at villages level gave and 120 respondents were selected. Primary data was collected through pretested interview schedule and analyzed through SPSS and results were presented as counts and percentages. The empirical results shows that 43.3% of citrus growers in the study area were in the joint family system of above 12 members, 66.7% citrus growers had small land holdings of 1 to 6 acres, with 60.8 % of them were owner cultivators where 58.3% were not registered with the extension department. Almost 67.5% were citrus growers were contacting the extension department through phone call for the problem of field management, use of inputs, pest and diseases along with the control of weeds. Information regarding Fruit fly was not received by 63.3% respondents where 51% was advised chemical control. The month of April was advised for fruit fly trap installation to save them from their attack in the month of June as reported by 23.3% citrus growers. About 45.8% citrus growers obtained citrus yield ranging from 3001 to 6000 kg/acre where 40.8% told their net income is from Afghani currency (AFN.) 81,000 to AFN.120, 000 per acre. It is concluded that majority of the citrus growers were illiterate and were not satisfied from agriculture extension staff. The study recommends that extension workers may visit citrus producers’ orchards on regular basis to give basic knowledge about new profitable citrus production practices to improve the economic conditions of the citrus growing community by improving their citrus production on sustainable basis.

 

Keywords:  Investigation, measures, citrus growers, socio-economic status, Nangarhar, Afghanistan

 

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