Problems faced by betelvine growers and suggestions provided to mitigate those in Midnapur (East) district of West Bengal

Betelvine (Piper betle L.) is a perennial evergreen shade loving creeper to the family Piperaceae. In India, it is commercially cultivated as an important and potential cash crop. Betelvine crop cultivation is a profitable enterprise. Betelvine cultivation is the best example of direct income (in cash) in agriculture. Due to this character, this plant is very loving to farmers. A boroj of 500-600 sq. m. area is sufficient enough to nurture a family of 4-5 members whole round the year. But, all is not well in this enterprise. There are lot of problems in its’ cultivation. Keeping it in mind, a study was conducted with the following objective:- to identify the problems faced by farmers in betelvine cultivation and their suggestions to mitigate those problems. The study was conducted in Midnapur (East) district of the State of West Bengal. Multistage purposive sampling technique was used for selection of the area and respondents. A sample of 100 respondents was randomly selected from the ten selected villages. The study revealed that the betelvine growers had the most important problems of (1) Insect-pests and diseases infestation (100%) (2) Lack of proper price of product (100%) (3) Cultivation cost is high (100%) (4) lack of fund (88%) (5) Flood problem (100%) (6) Problem of high wind blowing (100%) (7) Lack of irrigation water (93%)(8) No insurance in betelvine cultivation (100%)(9) cake price is high (87%)(10) Lack of soil testing facility (100%) (11) Transportation is a problem (87%) and(12) Day by day soil of boroj is becoming polluted (95%). In this respect the important suggestions to mitigate the faced problems were-(1) short-term training on insect-pests and diseases control (100%) (2) Govt. should announce minimum support price for betelvine products (76%)(3) Govt. should provide subsidies for fertilizers, pesticides, cakes etc. (81%) (4) There should have loan provision for all types of betelvine growers at lower interest rate considering their benefit (77%) (5) Canals should be renovated to overcome the flood problem (62%) (6) Iron bars should be used to establish a boroj which will provide better stability against high wind blowing (79%) (7) Govt. should permit to set shallow tube-well (88%) (9) Govt. should introduce insurance policy in betelvine cultivation (100%) (9) Govt.’s initiation and cooperation is very much needed to establish cold storage (69%) (10) Market inspection is needed to check the price of cake (76%) (11) There must have soil testing facility in locality (100%) (12) Roads should be repaired on urgent basis especially in rainy season (80%) (13) Organic manure as well as bio-fertilizers should be applied to maintain the fertility status of the boroj soil (65%) and (14) Govt. should introduce a systematic and efficient export system (58%). Therefore, the extension agencies who are working at base level should take proper measures to promote the betelvine cultivation considering the findings of present investigation.