Abstract

A study to investigate the problems of production and marketing of small farmers in Madurai district revealed that fragmentation of lands, tenancy and cropping pattern. are the main factors to decide the income of farmers. Regarding credit, 60°, of credit needs is met by cooperative levels the rest of 30% are borrowed from the, private sources with heavy interest. The small farmers augement their low income by going for hire with their carts for haulage or hiring their bullocks during ploughing season or earning wages as labourers in other farms or maintaing dairy animals and selling milk.. Of the total sample 48% was found to be viable. Majority of the farmers dispose the first crop of paddy, main produce, in the case of double crop wet land immediately after harvest, due to rainy season, want of money commitment to lending agencies and want of storage facilities. It co-operative take up the integrated credit system the small farmers can benefit. Besides, their income also be increased by encouraging and orgeni- sing milk cooperative in these villages.

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