Personal and socio-psychological characteristics of rubber growers in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu

Pages:225-228
Jergin J.I. (Department of Agricultural Extension & Rural Sociology, Agricultural College & Research Institute-TNAU, Madurai, Tamil Nadu)
Somasundaram S. (Department of Social Sciences Agricultural College & Research Institute-TNAU, Killikulam, Tamil Nadu )
Velusamy R. (Department of Social Sciences Horticultural College &Research Institute-TNAU, Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu )

The investigation was carried out in Kanyakumari district since the district stands first in the area cultivated under rubber in Tamil Nadu. In this district, Thiruvattar block was selected based on the maximum area under rubber cultivation. Six villages namely Shurlacode, Thirparappu, Thumbacode, Ponmanai, Thiruvattar and Macode which were having maximum area in rubber were selected for the study. The sample of one hundred and fifty respondents was selected from the six villages by using proportionate random sampling method. A well structured and pre-tested interview schedule was used for data collection. The analysis of personal and socio- psychological characteristics of rubber growers indicated that majority of rubber growers belonged to old age, had medium level of farming experience, college education, had farming + wage earner as their occupation, lived in joint family type, were marginal farmers , medium level of social participation, medium level of extension agency, having medium level of exposure to mass media, low level of innovativeness, medium level of scientific orientation , having medium level of risk orientation, medium level of credit orientation, and had an annual income between rupees 50,001 and rupees one lakh.