Factors contributing towards adoption of aromatic rice production technology in Nadia district of West Bengal

166 Scented or aromatic rice is nature’s gift to the Indian sub-continent and human kind at large. Compare to other classes of rice, aromatic rice is highly demanded and get better premium price in global market due to its pleasant aroma, superfine long slender grains with delicate curvature, remarkable linear elongation and excellent flaky soft texture on cooking. However, at present, only 12-15 indigenous aromatic rice varieties (IARVs) are being cultivated in some scattered pockets of different districts in West Bengal in an unorganized manner (Adhikari et al., 2011 and 2013). There is a market of aromatic rice not only in West Bengal but also throughout the India. Due to their smell, taste and high demand aromatic rice has got an extra importance in the economy of India. As a post-effect of globalization India is now exporting aromatic rice in the different countries viz. Middle East countries, the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada and other countries including South Africa and at present the farmers are getting attractive price from those of particular varieties. In this context the Government of India side by side the concerned State Department have taken the different programmes for popularization of aromatic rice cultivation in the different district of West Bengal. As a result of different extension programmes (campaigns, demonstration etc.) by the Agricultural Universities and the State Agricultural Department of West Bengal, the farmers are now showing very kin interest about the cultivation of aromatic rice and most of the farmers have already adopted the different varieties of aromatic rice in the different districts.