Determining the Socio-Economic Characteristics of Farmers on Access to Agricultural Credit in Tripura, India

Abstract

The present study was conducted in West Tripura district of Tripura to analyse the socio-economic characteristics of the borrowers in the district. Institutional agricultural credit, through its increasing and cheap supply, has played an important role in the widespread adoption of modern production technology and the promotion of private investment in farms. . Farm structure includes the total operational holding of a farmer and the land utilization pattern. Land used for cultivation, homestead land, own land, leased in and leased out land is also included.120 sample farmers were selected using the multistage random sampling technique for detailed analysis. Information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics like age, sex, education level, land use, etc. by borrowers were collected by survey method using pretested schedules. From the socio-economic study of the farmer, it could be observed that the majority of the farmers of the state are literate, experienced, and interested in timely agricultural credit utilization and repayment. The household considered for the study in West Tripura District had the highest percentage of the male population (51.49%) than that of the female population (47.58%). Cultivation was the primary occupation for 55.82 per cent of the sample population and secondary occupation for 29.17 per cent of the sample population.