Sunday, 9 December 2012

Agriculture notes prepared by IAS Topper for all agriculture based competitive exams-Agricutural Economics-Contract Farming


Contract Farming

Contract farming refers to a system of farming in which corporate firm and a farmer or a group of farmers participate in the production and selling of the agricultural products, thereby a corporate firm gets assured source of product of good quality and the farmer gets assured price for his products. The main purpose of contract farming is allocation of RISK between the farmer and a corporate firm.
It benefits both the partners in the business;
Farmer
·        Gets assured price so that he escapes from price fluctuations and middle man, thereby gets maximum remunerations.
·        Farmers gets quality inputs and modern technology
Corporate firm
·        Assured product supply irrespective of fluctuations in the market
·        Gets the desired quantity and quality of the product
·        Saved from middle man, so the cost of product do not go up therefore, he gets maximum profit for his investment
How is it implemented?
There are few things involved in it, they are

Selection of suitable farmer who is experienced in the cultivation of a product by the corporate firm is the first and foremost step in the contract farming practice. Farmer also should be a innovative adopter of new technologies and other aspects of modern agriculture


Selection of the product for which the corporate is interested


Selections of a location, which is decided by the existing climatic conditions, labour availability and the location of factory from the land, selected.

Supply of necessary inputs and technology for cultivation of required crop and monitoring by the corporate firm


Purchase of the final product and fulfillment of the contract
Constraints:
·        Breach of contracts and corporate dictates against the innocent and illiterate farmers
·        Higher illiteracy among most of the farmers
·        Land fragmentation and dominance of small and medium farmers in the country
·        Market fluctuations and poor price fixation
Solution
·        All the constraints have to be perceived in advance and the safeguards have to be incorporated in the contract signed between the farmer and corporate firm
·        Government should come forward to encourage the contract farming and provide safeguards to the farmers from exploitation

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