Assessment of Yield and Economic Gaps in Cluster Frontline Demonstrations of Mustard in Sonipat District, Haryana

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Page: 1167-1170

Parminder Singh¹, Sunil Kumar², Balwan Singh Mandal³, Dilbag Singh⁴ (Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sonipat, Haryana¹, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Panipat, Haryana², Director, Extension Education, CCSHAU, Hisar, Haryana³,  and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sonipat, Haryana⁴)

Cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) on mustard were conducted in Sonipat district, Haryana, during six rabi seasons (2017-18 to 2022-23) across 45 villages (228.8 ha) with 572 demonstration units. A standardized package-RH-0725 variety, carbendazim seed treatment, 30 cm spacing, balanced fertilization, hoeing, and integrated pest management-was compared with farmers’ practice. Demonstrations yielded 19.5-21.9 q ha⁻¹, a 16.8-18.9 % increase over local checks (16.7-18.7 q ha⁻¹). Extension gaps averaged 3.03 q ha⁻¹, technology gaps 5.55 q ha⁻¹, and the mean technology index was 22.2 %. Despite 4-7 % higher cultivation costs under CFLDs, gross returns (Rs 78,000-112,815 ha⁻¹) and net returns (Rs 54,082-84,050 ha⁻¹) exceeded farmers’ practice by Rs 9,625-16,823 ha⁻¹, improving benefit-cost ratios from 2.98-3.43 to 3.26-3.92. The findings validate the agronomic and economic viability of CFLDs and underscore the need for expanded extension to close yield gaps in Haryana. These findings advocate scaling up CFLDs to bolster mustard productivity and enhanced farmer livelihoods.