Socio-economic profile, implementation constraints, and grower strategies in protected vegetable cultivation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Protected vegetable cultivation under polyhouses and shade net structures represents a critical, climate-smart technological intervention designed to overcome environmental vulnerabilities, optimize resource-use efficiency, and accelerate farm commercialization. The present investigation was undertaken to comparatively evaluate the socio-economic, personal, and psychological profile of Protected Vegetable Cultivators (PVCG) versus Non-Protected Vegetable Cultivators (NPVCG), identify operational constraints encountered in implementing protected structures, and elicit grower-endorsed remedial strategies. An ex-post facto comparative research design was adopted using a four-stage purposive sampling procedure in Jalna district of Maharashtra, recognized for its high density of protected structures. Four tehsils (Badnapur, Jalna, Bhokardan, and Jafrabad) and twenty villages (five per tehsil) were purposively selected, comprising a total sample size of 120 vegetable cultivators (60 PVCG and 60 NPVCG; 3 of each per village). Data were collected through personal interviews using a structured, pre-tested schedule. The empirical findings revealed that the majority of PVCG were young (71.67%, Mean = 31.67 years vs. 42.00 years for NPVCG; Z = -4.91*), educated up to graduation (31.67%, Mean = 12.33 years vs. 08.33 years; Z = 5.36*), possessed small landholding (41.67%, Mean = 2.12 ha vs. 1.85 ha; Z = 0.96 NS), operated medium area under protected structures (63.33%, Mean = 45.43 R's vs. 00.00 R's; Z = 11.57**), possessed medium operational experience in protected cultivation (75.00%, Mean = 07.55 years vs. 00.00 years; Z = 15.64**), earned medium annual income (63.33%, Mean = Rs. 9,08,666.67 vs. Rs. 4,32,833.33; Z = 5.71*), utilized medium sources of information (80.00%, Mean = 25.02 vs. 22.43; Z = 4.87**), received medium specialized trainings (58.33%, Mean = 02.42 vs. 01.08; Z = 18.12**), maintained medium social contact (81.67%, Mean = 11.80 vs. 18.45; Z = -16.14), and exhibited medium levels of risk orientation (55.00%, Mean = 26.38 vs. 23.05; Z = 05.11**), market orientation (61.67%, Mean = 51.43 vs. 48.25; Z = 2.48**), perception (60.00%, Mean = 60.38 vs. 59.55; Z = 01.89**), and knowledge (76.67%, Mean = 31.28 vs. 30.25; Z = 03.60**). Large-sample 'Z' tests confirmed significant differences (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) between PVCG and NPVCG across thirteen profile variables. The study prioritized twelve major constraints faced by PVCG: high initial investment for structural construction (66.67%, Rank I), irrigation and labor shortages (65.00%, Rank II), market price fluctuations (63.33%, Rank III), incidence of pests and diseases (61.67%, Rank IV), lack of specific markets for protected produce (58.33%, Rank V), inadequate/untimely disbursement of loans and subsidies (56.67%, Rank VI), lack of scientific production knowledge (55.00%, Rank VII), irregular power supply (53.33%, Rank VIII), high wages of skilled labor (51.67%, Rank IX), non-availability of quality inputs (48.33%, Rank X), non-availability of equipment in local markets (45.00%, Rank XI), and water shortage for irrigation (43.33%, Rank XII). To overcome these constraints, growers suggested increasing subsidy and loan amounts (100.00%, Rank I), introducing criteria-based structural and crop insurance (96.67%, Rank II), establishing cold storage facilities at the taluka level (95.00%, Rank III), providing regular technical guidance (91.67%, Rank IV), regulating marketing channels (90.00%, Rank V), encouraging low-cost protected structures (88.33%, Rank VI), supplying quality inputs at low cost (85.00%, Rank VII), and promoting agricultural machinery at reasonable prices (83.33%, Rank VIII).
Institution: Marathwada Agricultural University
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204123769
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