Constraints encountered by rice farmers of Tripura in adoption of system of rice intensification (SRI) technology

The investigation was carried out in two districts of Tripura viz West Tripura and South Tripura on 200 respondents to find out the constraints faced by the rice farmers in adoption of system of rice intensification (SRI) technology. SRI method of paddy cultivation is having several advantages over the traditional system since the seed and water requirement and incidence of pests and diseases is lower than the traditional system and yield is also quite higher. The constraints encountered by the respondents were timely availability of skilled labour as a very serious (68.5%) and serious problem (24%) with rank I. High cost of labour was reported as a very serious problem by 64 per cent and serious problem by 28 per cent of the respondents whereas weed management as a very serious by 60.5 per cent and serious problem by 20.0 per cent of the respondents with II and III rank respectively. The other constraints faced by the respondents were assured irrigation, lack of farm mechanization, high cost of pesticides and insecticides, high cost of manures and fertilizers, complicated procedure of obtaining loan from the credit organizations, untimely release of loan by them, non-availability of assured market etc.