IMPACT OF PRODUCER COMPANY MODEL ON KNOWLEDGE LEVELS OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL COTTON FARMERS

The present study was conducted in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh state. Ex-post facto research design was followed. Sixty organic and sixty inorganic cotton farmers were selected for the study. A knowledge test was developed with 45 items to collect the data from the respondent farmers on organic cotton farming. For response analysis these 45 items were grouped into four broad categories such as conversion and certification requirements (Items 9), land preparation, biomass development, sowing and weed management (Items 9), plant protection (Items 18), and harvesting and post harvest management (Items 9). The findings of the study indicated that majority of organic cotton farmers had high (75 %) level of knowledge; contrary to this majority of conventional cotton farmers had low (43 %) level of knowledge. With regard to the knowledge level on selected organic practices- conversion and certification requirements of organic cotton were ranked first and the practices of plant protection was ranked least by the organic cotton farmers. Whereas the conventional cotton farmers ranked the practices of land preparation, biomass development, sowing and weed management as first and the practices of certification and conversion requirements was ranked least.