Economics of Tradational Varieties of Rice in Kashmir: a Case Study of Khanshaib Tehsil

Agriculture occupies an important place in the state of J&K economy. The share of agriculture and allied sector in GSDP at 1999-2000 prices for the year 2007-08 stands at 26.91% on the other hand 70% of the population of the state depend directly or indirectly on it. Agriculture is considered as the back bone of the state economy in reality. However it has been treated as a back bone without a spinal cord, because its position has been deplorable. Even though the departments of agriculture and SKUAST have introduced from time to time high yielding varieties of seeds (HYV) like china 1039, K-39, k-448, SR9, K332 etc. Traditional crops like Drangi Bar, Chari- Bar, Rahimbar, K78 are still being cultivated in various parts of Kashmir valley especially the villages of Tehsil khansahib and Tehsil Khag. Besides these Zag rise Muska-Budji is also been cultivated in some villages of khansahib tehsil. Hence in the present study an attempt has been made to examine the extent to which these varieties are being cultivated, to evaluate the costs and returns of these varieties and to account for the variation in the returns. This book will be helpful for researchers and agricultural scientists.