A STUDY ON PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF PADDY IN ERODE DISTRICT TAMILNADU

Rice is the most prominent crop of India as it is the staple food for most of the people of the country. This crop is the backbone of livelihood for millions of rural households and plays vital role in the country’s food security, so the term “rice is life” is most appropriate in Indian context. India occupies an important position both in area and production of rice. By the adoption of improved production technologies such as high-yielding varieties/hybrids, expansion of irrigation potential, and use of chemical fertilizer, supply of rice in the country has kept pace with the increase in demand. Demand for rice is expected to further increase in future as population is continuously increasing, so production of rice also needs to be increased. There is a need to further increase rice productivity because land area under rice cultivation is declining. Major constraints for productivity and sustainability of rice-based systems in the country are the inefficient use of inputs (fertilizer, water, labor), increasing scarcity of water and labor especially for rice cultivation, new emerging challenges from climate change, rising fuel prices, increasing cost of cultivation, and socioeconomic changes such as migration of labor, urbanization, less liking for agricultural work by youths, and concerns from environmental pollution.