THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF PINEAPPLE GROWERS UNDER CONTRACT FARMING CONDITION

The present study was carried out in the block Phansidewa under Darjeeling district. It is famous for pineapple cultivation. For this reason Darjeeling district as well as Phansidewa block was selected purposively. This study was conducted to assess the socio-economic status of pineapple cultivators under contract farming condition in Pineapple export zone. Fifty pineapple growers were selected as respondents. The data were processed into frequency and percentage. From this study it was found that pineapple cultivators of Phansidewa block were predominantly middle aged and generally educated as about 42 percent of the cultivators were middle aged and 46 percent had middle level education. Ninety six percent of the pineapple cultivator’s primary occupation was cultivation and 40 percent of the cultivators were having one to three acres land. Sixty eight percent of pineapple cultivators had one to two draught animals whereas 90 percent had television set and furniture. Their social participation was very poor as only 20 percent of them actively take part in election process. It was also noted that the pine apple grower used radio, educational farm, news paper, farm publication and demonstration some time to gain knowledge about their occupation. Further ADO’s,Panchayat Personnel,Society personnel and input dealers were the cosmopolite source where as friends, neighbours, and village leaders as localite source of  farm information.