Problems Faced by Rice Growing Farmers and Their Behavior to the Government Policies:; A Case from Pakistan

Importance of rice in agricultural crops cannot be ignored as it is the staple food for more than fifty percent population of the world and a big source to cope with the food security issues of the world. Considering the importance of rice the year 2004 was declared as the international year of rice by FAO .Rice is cultivated over one hundred countries in the world. During 2011-2012, rice production in the world was 718.345 million tons and it was cultivated over an area of 163.463 million hectares.  In Pakistan, rice also enjoys a prominent status among cereal crops as in terms of area it is the third largest crop of Pakistan. In 2011-2012 rice was cultivated on 2.571 million hectares with production of 6.16 million tones and the average yield remained 2396 kg/ha. In the year 2012-2013, Per capita rice consumption in Pakistan is 15.30 kg/year. Since rice is not a staple food in Pakistan so every year a considerable quantity of rice produce is exported to earn foreign exchange. This present study was conducted in 2013 in two tehsils; namely Daska and Pasroor of Sialkot district of Punjab province of Pakistan. The main purpose of the study was to inquire the problems faced by rice farmers at different stages of rice cultivation i.e. rice production, rice crop protection and rice marketing stages. Out of the four tehsils of districts Sialkot, two tehsils were purposely selected due to the excessive cultivation of rice in these areas. Out of each tehsil, ten villages were randomly selected and out of each village, six farmers were randomly selected. Hence a sample of 120 farmers was selected. The selected farmers were interviewed and data were collected and analyzed. In terms of production related problems the findings showed that farmers perceived high price of fertilizer, shortage of canal water, high price of agricultural input, high rent charges of agricultural machinery, lack of consultancy facilities and lack of credit/finance as the major problems during the rice crop production stage. In terms of rice crop protection related problems, costly pesticides/weedicide and ineffective fungicide were identified by the farmers and in terms of marketing related problems of rice crop, unsatisfactory price offered of the produce, poor transportation, storage issues and lack of knowledge about market prices were identified by the farmers. The farmers also showed great dissatisfaction over the initiatives taken by government authorities to resolve the problems faced by them Keywords: Rice farmer’s problems; production related issues; crop protection related issues; marketing related issues; dissatisfaction level on government policies

Motivating and De-Motivating Factors towards Marketing of Rice for the Rice Marketing Channel Members in Pakistan

From the production of rice at the rice fields to the final consumers, the rice moves from different marketing channels. This study aims to identify those factors which motivate and de-motivate the rice marketing channels members towards rice marketing. For this study the data were collected from 120 rice farmers, 45 rice commission agents, 45 rice millers and 45 rice traders from three districts of Punjab province in Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from the respondents. OLS regression was applied using SPSS. The results of the study revealed different motivating and de-motivating factors for different marketing channel members. For the rice growing farmers, the motivating factors towards rice marketing were found to be cash payment at the spot, selling paddy at the farm gate, high demand due to exportable item, better results as compare to other crops and rice as the status symbol crop. The significant de-motivating factors for rice growers were found to be difficulties due to transportation issues, shortage of water for rice cultivation and low yield per acre. The significant motivating factors for commission agents were found to be less risk because of the working on rice mills payroll, profitable business despite the lack of education and financing by the rice millers. The significant de-motivating factors for commission agents were found to be issues in storage facilities, rising transportation cost and delay in payments by the rice millers. The significant motivating factors for rice millers were found to be growing demand of branded rice and satisfactory profit margins while significant de-motivating factors were found to be seasonal nature of business, high fixed cost, increasing cost due to alternative power usage and labor cost and mixing of different verities. The significant motivating factors for rice traders were found to be whole year running business, good profit margin and growing demand of branded rice while high taxes and increasing transportation cost were found to be significant de-motivating factors for rice traders. Keywords: Rice, Marketing, Marketing channels, motivating factors, De-motivating factor

Domestic Rice Marketing Structure and Marketing Margins in Pakistan

Agriculture plays a key role in the economic development of Pakistan. Its contribution to GDP in Pakistan accounts 25% and it is a major source of raw material for different industries in Pakistan. Punjab is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is a major producer of agricultural commodities. Rice is one of the most important agricultural commodities in Pakistan. The Punjab province produces 56% of the total rice in Pakistan as well as this province is solely producer of basmati rice variety which is a type of fragrant rice and is very famous for its aroma. For the development of agricultural sector, the importance of agricultural marketing cannot be ignored. In developing countries like Pakistan where the population is growing rapidly, an efficient internal agricultural marketing system for agricultural commodities can be very useful for not only to meet the domestic food needs but also for the development of rural economy. The aim of this study was to analyze the current status, structure and operations of rice marketing in Pakistan as well as to explore the marketing margins of different marketing intermediaries and to identify the respective marketing problems faced by those marketing intermediaries. Three districts famous for rice production were purposely selected for this study and a sample of 120 small, 45 medium and 45 large farmers was obtained from the study area. Along with the rice growing farmers, 45 commission agents, 45 rice millers, 45 rice traders, 45 whole sellers and 45 retailers in the study area were also contacted for the purpose of data collection. Three majorly grown rice varieties of basmati and non basmati rice were found being cultivated in the study area. The results revealed that majority of the rice producers were involved in selling their produce (paddy) to commission agents at their farm gate. The absolute cash margins for different marketing channel members were estimated and it was found that the rice producer was earning the maximum share for both varieties in the marketing chain i.e. 62.57% and 47.71% respectively for basmati and non basmati rice varieties. Along with the absolute cash margins, the net marketing margins were also calculated by deducting the marketing cost of respective marketing chain members. The overall domestic rice marketing structure was found to be efficient yet there is need for further improvement in order to enhance the rice production and exports from Pakistan. Keywords: Agricultural marketing, Rice, Rice marketing, marketing margins, Rice marketing problems

Economic Analysis of Agriculture Small Loan and its Multidimensional Benefits for Farmers’ Community: an Analytical Study from South Region of Punjab Province, Pakistan

To enable farming sector more productive and efficient, agriculture small loan can play a vital role. For adoption of modern farm practices and technologies, the shortage of agriculture credit is one of the major problems encountered by small subsistence rural farmers. In Pakistan’s economy, the agriculture sector contributes 21 percent of GDP and absorbs more than 43 percent labor force. The aim of this study was to measure the multi-dimensional benefits of agriculture small loan on the living standard of farmers. This study was carried out in four districts of Punjab province located in south region as it offers a large population of agriculture community. The climatic conditions, soil structure and plain fields favor agriculture farming.  Two groups of farmers who borrowed agriculture small loan and who did not borrowed were selected through purposively sampling technique. T-test, averages, percentages and descriptive statistics were applied to compare the benefits of agriculture small loan between two groups. The results were significant at 5 % confidence interval. The outcomes of t-ratio suggested that technical efficiency of agriculture small loan borrowers was higher than non-borrowers, the crop productivity and average profits earned by loan borrowers group was higher than non-borrowers, 40 percent respondents believed that agriculture small loan had increased their access to basic healthcare facilities, 45 % agriculture loan borrowers had increased their marketing orientation, the number of livestock  animals were more with borrowers, around 76 percent farmers were of opinion that their social expenditures and status had raised and approximately 57 % agriculture small loan borrowers were doing alternative off-farming income generating activities by utilizing the surplus income. The study concluded that if small subsistence farmers are properly educated and adequate agriculture small loans are provided, than agriculture small loan can be used a tool for socioeconomic development and sustainable growth of agriculture sector in Pakistan. Keywords: Agriculture Small Loan. Crop Productivity, Market Orientation, Social expenditures, poverty eradication, Punja

Imaging Ultrasound Propagation Using the Westervelt Equation by the Generalized Kudryashov and Modified Kudryashov Methods

This article deals with the study of ultrasound propagation, which propagates the mechanical vibration of the molecules or of the particles of a material. It measures the speed of sound in air. For this reason, the third-order non-linear model of the Westervelt equation was chosen to be studied, as the solutions to such problems have much importance for physical purposes. In this article, we discuss the exact solitary wave solutions of the third-order non-linear model of the Westervelt equation for an acoustic pressure p representing the equation of ultrasound with high intensity, as used in acoustic tomography. Moreover, the non-linear coefficient B/A (being a part of space-dependent coefficient K), has also been investigated in this literature. This problem is solved using the Generalized Kudryashov method along with a comparison of the Modified Kudryashov method. All of the solutions have been discussed with both surface and contour plots, which shows the behavior of the solution. The images are prepared in a well-established way, showing the production of tissues inside the human body.The authors are grateful to the Basque Government for its support through Grants IT1555-22 and KK-2022/00090; and to MCIN/AEI 269.10.13039/501100011033 for Grant PID2021-1235430B-C21/C22

Common Methods to Understand and Develop Indigenous Probiotics Yeast for Ruminant

Probiotic yeast enhanced the ruminal gut microbial balance by producing intercellular effectors and important metabolites. The impact of yeast addition on animal health is influenced by different interlinked factors including animal genomics, its gut microbiota, and environment. Therefore, all factors should be considered regarding achieving the maximum outputs from animal probiotic yeast. In the situation of a high feeding cost, microbial feed supplements provide a suitable nutritional approach, which allows increased nutrient digestion rate and accordingly improves animal performance. Many yeast products are commercially available, but their efficiency as probiotic dietary addition in a particular breed is mostly questionable. Therefore, identification of ideal probiotic yeast strain is of great interest in this context. Innovative methods in relation to develop new probiotic are mainly focused on the exploring novel microbial strains from indigenous sources. It has been noted that for the identification of best probiotic strain for the host, a linkage between culture-independent and culture-dependent methods is a functional step. In this chapter, we will discuss the mode of action of probiotic yeast on animal lower gut microbiota and identification of ideal probiotic yeast by using advanced molecular methods

"An Analysis of the Farmers" Community Perception and Awareness About Crop Insurance as a Risk Coping Strategy": A case from Pakistan

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness and perception of farmers of Pakistan about the crop insurance. This study was conducted in two tehsils * of RajanPur district of Punjab province of Pakistan. Using various statistical tools like arithmetic mean, standard deviation, counting, percentage and analysis of variance, the collected data was analyzed using SPSS. A fivepoint Likert scale was also used to measure different variables. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents i.e. 64.17% respondents were aware with the term "crop insurance" while the understanding level with crop insurance varied among those who had general awareness about crop insurance i.e. only 29.87 % respondents among those who were aware claimed that they understand well about crop insurance. The major sources of awareness about crop insurance were found to be friends/coworkers and financial institutes. Climatic risk and crop diseases were declared as the most important risks faced by respondents in the study area. There were found considerable misperceptions about crop insurance among farmers i.e. majority of the farmers declared the crop insurance as a scheme which does not compensate their losses as it should be and as well as a kind of a tax which can reduce their income as well as they believed that it is only designed for a specific group of farmers i.e. large scale farmers. Farmers believed that a crop insurance plan with low premium and offering maximum compensation against losses can be acceptable to them. Using ANOVA and CHI SQUARE test, it was found that education and landholdings were significant with the level of awareness while age was not found to be significant with awareness. Before launching crop insurance plans in Pakistan and to make such scheme more * In some countries of South Asia i.e. Pakistan and India, Tehsil is an administrative division. It is an area of land with a city or town that serves as its headquarters, with possible additional towns, and usually a number of villages. European Researcher, 2014, Vol.(79), № 7-2 1324 successful, government institutes related to agriculture can create awareness among farmers about crop insurance and take steps to reduce the misunderstandings and misperception which exist among the farming community. Offering of maximum subsidy from Government of Pakistan can attract the farmers towards crop insurance

“An Analysis of the Farmers’ Community Perception and Awareness About Crop Insurance as a Risk Coping Strategy”: A case from Pakistan

The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness and perception of farmers of Pakistan about the crop insurance. This study was conducted in two tehsils of RajanPur district of Punjab province of Pakistan. Using various statistical tools like arithmetic mean, standard deviation, counting, percentage and analysis of variance, the collected data was analyzed using SPSS. A five-point Likert scale was also used to measure different variables. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents i.e. 64.17% respondents were aware with the term “crop insurance” while the understanding level with crop insurance varied among those who had general awareness about crop insurance i.e. only 29.87 % respondents among those who were aware claimed that they understand well about crop insurance. The major sources of awareness about crop insurance were found to be friends/coworkers and financial institutes. Climatic risk and crop diseases were declared as the most important risks faced by respondents in the study area. There were found considerable misperceptions about crop insurance among farmers i.e. majority of the farmers declared the crop insurance as a scheme which does not compensate their losses as it should be and as well as a kind of a tax which can reduce their income as well as they believed that it is only designed for a specific group of farmers i.e. large scale farmers. Farmers believed that a crop insurance plan with low premium and offering maximum compensation against losses can be acceptable to them. Using ANOVA and CHI SQUARE test, it was found that education and landholdings were significant with the level of awareness while age was not found to be significant with awareness. Before launching crop insurance plans in Pakistan and to make such scheme more successful, government institutes related to agriculture can create awareness among farmers about crop insurance and take steps to reduce the misunderstandings and misperception which exist among the farming community. Offering of maximum subsidy from Government of Pakistan can attract the farmers towards crop insurance

Men’s attitude and motivation toward consumption of grooming products: A comparison of Chinese and Pakistani male consumers

Current research explores the concept of masculine identity in modern social world as evidence of retail products consumption which was traditionally seen as female or feminine (cosmetic grooming products). This study comparatively analyze the effect of personal, social, and marketing factors on the attitude of Chinese and Pakistani male consumers toward the consumption of cosmetics. This paper begins with a comprehensive review of the literature on the topic. Data were collected from 260 Chinese and 210 Pakistani male customers from three metropolitan cities from each country. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis (ordinary least square (OLS) and Ridge) are used to test the hypotheses. Results show mixed effect on Chinese and Pakistani male’s attitude and motivation toward consumption of cosmetic products. Physical attractiveness impacts only on Pakistani men while lifestyle effects only on Chinese male consumers. It directs the marketers to find the most significant factors toil in men cosmetic segment in China and Pakistan

Effect of Students Attitude Towards Mathematics on their Mathematical Achievement at Secondary School Level

The effect of student’s attitude on mathematical achievement has gathered tremendous attention from various researchers. However, there is a degree of inconsistency in the findings regarding these effects. The aim of the study was to find out the effect of students’ attitude towards Mathematics on their mathematical achievement at secondary schools in AJ&K. The objectives of the study were; to analyze students’ attitude in Mathematics at secondary level, to compare students’ attitude and academic achievement in Mathematics (gender wise) in AJ&K and to find out the effect of students’ attitude on Mathematical achievement at secondary level in AJ&K. The research was descriptive and quantitative in nature  and cross-sectional survey was used to collect the data. All the students of 10th class of Govt. Secondary Schools in District Bagh AJ&K were the population of the study. There were 1076 students (458 boys and 618 girls) studying in 10th class in Government Secondary Schools of District Bagh. Sample was taken using Stratified random sampling technique. The researcher selected 444 students (192 male and 252 female) using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The researcher developed five-point Likert scale questionnaire to collect the data. It was concluded that attitude had an impact on the mathematical achievements of the students. Parents’ education, qualification and social status had positive effect on academic achievements of students. It is recommended that students may be encouraged to achieve mathematical goals