Determinants of Adoption of Post-harvest Management Technologies among Oilseed Farmers
Yasa Sirilakshmi
Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal- 132 001, Haryana, India.
Bidyut P Gogoi *
Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal- 132 001, Haryana, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Post-harvest management plays a vital role in reducing both quantitative and qualitative losses in oilseed crops while improving farmers’ income and overall productivity. Despite its significance, the adoption of post-harvest management technologies among Indian oilseed farmers remains suboptimal due to a range of socio-economic, infrastructural, and institutional constraints. The present study aimed to assess the extent of adoption of post-harvest management technologies and to identify the socio-economic factors influencing adoption behavior among oilseed farmers. The study was carried out in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, purposively selected for its prominence in oilseed cultivation. A total of 120 oilseed farmers were selected using random sampling, and primary data were collected through personal interviews with the help of a structured and pre-tested schedule. Adoption was measured across key post-harvest domains such as harvesting, threshing, drying, storage, value addition, quality and safety, transportation, marketing, and digital monitoring using a three-point continuum of non-adoption, partial adoption, and full adoption based on frequency and percentage analysis.Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) analysis indicated minimal multicollinearity among the fourteen independent variables, with values ranging between 1.15 and 1.80, confirming robustness of the model. The results revealed that farmers exhibited higher adoption of basic post-harvest practices like timely harvesting, threshing, and drying, while advanced measures such as moisture control, value addition, and digital monitoring were less practiced. Key determinants influencing adoption included education, training exposure, knowledge level, and market intelligence. The study emphasizes the need for capacity-building programs, improved access to affordable post-harvest tools, enhanced storage and processing infrastructure, and digital technology promotion to strengthen adoption, minimize post-harvest losses, and improve profitability among oilseed farmers.
Keywords: Post-Harvest management, oilseed farmers, technology adoption, socio-economic variables