ABSTRACT

The study was conducted in Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, and Chikkaballapur Districts of Karnataka. An ex-post facto research design was employed for the study. The sample comprised 150 capsicum farmers under protected cultivation and 70 related stakeholders. A scale was developed and standardized to measure farmers' risk perception towards protected cultivation using item analysis method. A well-structured pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents by personal interview method.
The risk perception towards protected cultivation was found to be high among two-fifths (40.00%) of the capsicum growers, followed by low (30.67%) and medium (29.33%) risk perceptions. Labour risk was perceived as the most significant (86.13%), followed by weather risks (81.71%), market risks (77.84%), and financial risks (76.57%). Major risks in protected cultivation of capsicum were identified as high input costs (97.20%), high price fluctuations due to unstable demand (93.60%), high initial infrastructure costs (93.60%), and the non-existence of price control mechanisms (93.33%).
The adoption of recommended cultivation practices was low among over two-thirds (38.67%) of the respondents, followed by high (34.00%) and medium (27.33%) adoption rates. Component-wise analysis of adoption revealed that over three-fourths (76.00%) of capsicum growers adopted training and pruning practices, followed by integrated pest management (72.00%) and main field preparation and nursery practices (66.47%). Ordered logit regression showed that variables such as mass media participation, innovative proneness, scientific orientation, competition orientation, extension contact, risk orientation, access to credit, and access to subsidies were determinants of adoption. Nearly one-third (35.33%) of capsicum farmers engaged in protected cultivation expressed a willingness to pay for consultancy services, with 41.51 per cent of them indicating readiness to pay amounts ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000.
Seeds were as a critical component in the value chain mapping of capsicum, with multinational companies playing a pivotal role in supplying hybrid seeds. Private companies dominated input supply (85.33%), compared to line departments (10.00%). Aggregators were key facilitators in marketing segment constituting 50.00% of the entire market for colored capsicum. In marketing green capsicum, nearly 60.00% of the produce is sold directly to nearby urban markets by farmers. Capsicum growers under protected cultivation perceived several constraints, including fluctuations in market prices and demand (mean Garrett score of 65.78), high initial infrastructure costs (62.93), ill health due to inappropriate chemical handling (62.10), structural damage from wind (61.63), lack of scientific knowledge about crop production (59.987), non-existence of price control mechanisms (54.27), and labour scarcity during peak seasons (49.62).
Nurserymen and processors encountered challenges related to farmers' purchasing behavior and unforeseen crop failure. Input dealers grapple with stock outs and credit issues. Aggregators are concerned about market uncertainty and capital shortage. Wholesalers and retailers face issues with unlicensed traders and capsicum price fluctuations. Key strategies to address production constraints in capsicum cultivation include using plant protection equipment for farmer safety (100.00%), implementing mechanization and automation to address labour scarcity (92.00%), seeking government support and incentives (92.67%), enhancing accessibility to relevant information (87.33%), and conducting market research and analysis to understand market dynamics (74.67%).