A STUDY ON USAGE OF POULTRY MANURE IN BEAN CULTIVATION IN KANDY DISTRICT

Abstract

This research study was carried out to investigate the usage of poultry manure in bean cultivation in Kandy district. By following a random sampling procedure, 80 vegetable farmers were selected, and data on socio economic information of farmers and cultivation were collected through personal interview. The collected data were analysed by using the SPSS package. The results revealed that the average age of vegetable famers is ranges from 35- 45 years old, 90o/o of farmers were male. The average educational level of the farmer was up to the primary level. More than half of the vegetable farmers in the study area (55%) cultivated vegetable as their primary occupation, the rest are doing as subsidiary occupation. Bean, brinjal and chilli are the major vegetable cultivated in the selected study area and the majority of farmers are cultivating bean. According to the studied information, most of the farmers had 6-10 years of farming experience in vegetable cultivation. Kandy district famers have positive ideas about poultry manure usage. Average poultry manure usage is 8050kg/year/farmer. Of all the vegetable farmers, 86.2%had purchased fertilizer as poultry manure, insecticides and weedicides from fertilizer shops, and 10% had obtained fertilizers from the Department of Agriculture. The average annual bean production is around 5500kg/acre, average extent 0.32acre, total annual income is Rs.515,938/farmer, average annual cost is Rs.223,750 and annual benefit is Rs.292,188. The market price for all vegetables was higher than the farmgate price. Around 73% of farmers had sold their vegetables to middle man seller, while 23.8% sold their vegetable products to direct market. Most of the vegetable farmers are facing some constraints regarding the usage of organic manure including poultry manure such as lack of awareness, shortage of poultry manure, high input cost and inadequate Govt support