Informatics Publishing Limited

Kuldeep Choudhary ¹, Amit Lathiya ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Human Resource Management, Agriculture Cooperation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, IN
2 Department of Marketing Management, Agriculture Cooperation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, IN

Abstract

Agriculture plays a vital role in the social and economic development of India and is the main contributor to economic growth and stability. Small-scale agriculture and the harvesting of natural resources provide livelihoods for over 55% of the Indian population. However, most smallholders are resource-poor and face many challenges. Modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to increase agricultural productivity through communicating knowledge and information to rural agricultural communities, providing capacity building, accessing markets and credit, restructuring of extension and scaling up inter-linkages of development interventions. This paper points out the potential of emerging ICTs in efforts aimed at dealing with some of the challenges small-scale farmers face. Findings suggest that the FM radio stations and the cellular phone have become important tools in improving small-scale agriculture in rural areas. The internet, web-sites and web-based applications are becoming increasingly important in sharing and disseminating agricultural information and knowledge and marketing of goods and services. Other emerging ICT applications for small-scale agriculture include radio frequency identification technology (RFID), market information systems (MIS), geographic information systems (GIS), precision agriculture and public access facilities. The study also established that low usage levels of these technologies is the result of low technical capacity and limited ICT infrastructure in the sector, especially in rural areas.

Keywords

Small Scale Agriculture, Information And Communication Technologies, MIS, GIS

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Kuldeep Choudhary ¹, Madhu ²

Affiliations
1 Agriculture Cooperation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic (N.A.U.), Waghai, Gujarat, IN
2 Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, IN

Abstract

The poor farmers had little knowledge of how to market their produce, so they fetched very low price for their produce, sometimes which even ran into losses. The market study hinted at the fact that raw turmeric is unprofitable to sell, so the farmers should go for value addition, like making turmeric powder, packaging, branding and selling either in wholesale or retail markets. For this in Dang district, some villages have made sincere effort in value addition through purchasing of machineries by jointly /cooperative basis. This effort helped these villages in terms of more production, quality improvement, process improvement and higher earnings. For marketing, villagers have tied up with some retailers. They are also thinking to establish their own wholesale and retail counters at Waghai, Saputara (major tourist centres) and Surat (major market for vegetables in South Gujarat). The benefit of value addition in case of turmeric-wet was found to be Rs. 1100 for 200 kg of turmeric and in case of turmeric powder total benefit was found to be Rs. 1,62,350 for 1700 kg of turmeric.

Keywords

Value Addition, Livelihood Enhancement, Collective Marketing, Retailers

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Kuldeep Choudhary ¹, Arvind Rathod ², Amit Lathiya ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Human Resource Management, Agriculture Co-Operation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic (N.A.U.), Waghai (Gujarat), IN
2 Department of Financial Management, Agriculture Co-Operation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic (N.A.U.), Waghai (Gujarat), IN
3 Department of Marketing Management, Agriculture Co-Operation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic (N.A.U.), Waghai (Gujarat), IN

Abstract

Vegetable cultivation in India is growing rapidly. Farmers in all parts of India are now shifting from traditional crop cultivation to vegetable cultivation. But due to poor marketing system and involvement of so many value chain players, farmers are not getting optimum prices for their produce; on the other hand money goes into the hands of agents or middlemen. Vegetable being a perishable product cannot be stored for a long time which forces farmers to sell their products regardless of the price offered to them at the local level. Every agent or middleman plays a role in the value chain; which has a cost component. After accounting for the costs, the middleman retains certain profit. Lf the roles performed by the middlemen can be replaced by the middleman can be replaced by a less costly system; the profit can go to the farmers themselves. The Forest Department has tried to do the same in case of vegetable farmers in Mandvi range of Surat Forest Division. Basically, 'Farmers' Own Marketing System' has been established.

Keywords

Collective Marketing, Collection Centre, Trading Centre, Self-Help Groups.

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Kuldeep Choudhary ¹, Amit Lathiya ¹, Arvind Rathod ¹

Affiliations
1 Agriculture Co-operation, Banking and Marketing Polytechnic, Navsari Agricultural University, WAGHAI (GUJARAT), IN

Abstract

The poor farmers had little knowledge of how to market their produce, so they fetched very low price for their produce, sometimes which even ran into losses. The market study hinted at the fact that raw safed musli is unprofitable to sell, so the farmers should go for value addition, like making musli powder, packaging, branding and selling either in wholesale or retail markets. For this in Dang district, some villages have made sincere effort in value addition through purchasing of machineries by jointly /co-operative basis. This effort helped these villages in terms of more production, quality improvement, process improvement and higher earnings. For marketing, villagers have tied up with some retailers. They are also thinking to establish their own wholesale and retail counters at Waghai, Saputara (major tourist centers) and Surat (major market for medicinal plants in south Gujarat). However, to start with, it was decided that farmers would be educated to start collective marketing of safed musli at a better price at terminal markets in India. A number of big traders were identified in Indore, Nasik and Mumbai; their terms and conditions were compared and a trader was finalized. Due to collective marketing the net benefit was found around Rs. 100-250 per kg. of safed musli.

Keywords

Value Addition, Collective Marketing, Livelihood Enhancement, Processing, Packaging.

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R. A. Yeledhalli ¹, Peersab M. Pinjar ¹, N. Ashoka ¹, Kuldeep Choudhary ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agribusiness Management, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka), IN

Abstract

Biofertilisers are low cos t and high value agriculture inputs playing a vital role in maintaining the sustained agrilculture production. Looking at the importance, the study highlighted present trends of biofertilisers production, demand, supply and their gap and utilization pattern of biofertilisers. A total sample of ninety farmers and thirty dealers/retailers were randomly selected from fifteen villages in selected Talukas. The data were subjected to compound growth rate (CGR) and tabular analysis. The results revealed that there was a growing trend of biofertilisers production with 2.52 per cent CGR and the entire district showed deficit supply of biofertilisers with -112.53 tonnes of gap in supply. Utilization pattern of biofertilisers showed that agricultural assistants were the major source of information (27.78%) for availability of biofertilisers and usage was concentrated more in case of pulse production. Jaggery solution treatment, mixed with compost and seedling dip methods were extensively adopted methods of biofertilisers application.

Keywords

Dynamics, Biofertilizers Use, Cost Effective.

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Vaishali Mhaske ¹, R. A. Yeledhalli ¹, Kuldeep Choudhary ¹, Chidanand Patil ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agribusiness Management, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka), IN

Abstract

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is constituted by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Agriculture sector is still backbone of economy of all SAARC members. India exports different agricultural commodities to SAARC member countries under cereal, pulses, fruits and vegetables, processed food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, planting materials, livestock products etc. major exportable agricultural commodities such as wheat, rice, mango and onion have been purposively selected for further analysis as these commodities are commonly exported from India to all other SAARC member countries. Markov chain analysis was used to analyze the direction of trade. Maldives is stable market for rice with high retention probability of 41.54 per cent among the SAARC countries for reference period. Bangladesh is most stable market for all four commodities such as rice, wheat, mango and onion as reflected by retention probabilities of 22.86, 45.40, 39.29 and 24.00 per cent, respectively among the SAARC member countries. It was observed that India was in a competitive position in rice, mango and onion with the NPCs values of 0.98, 0.975 and 0.893, respectively for the period of 2008-09.

Keywords

Direction of Trade, SAARC Countries, Retention, Stable Market.

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Sudip Kumar Das ¹, Seema Nath ¹, Kuldeep Choudhary ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Agri Business Management, College of Agriculture, Acharya, N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad (Telangana), IN
2 ASPEE Agribusiness Management Institute, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari (Gujarat), IN

Abstract

The present study impact of supermarket on small retail outlets (mom and pop stores) was conducted in Hyderabad city during the year 2011. Majority of retailers (42%) profit and turnover decreased. 34% of retailers profit and turnover increased and 24% of retailers business remained same after the entry of supermarkets in the area Majority of retailers (52%) expressed that their profit and turnover decreased because of organized retail. Another 20 % felt the decreased because of other unorganized outlets started in the area and rest 29% experienced decreased due to other family reason. Most of the respondents (80%) extended credit to their customer which is the main reason to retain and hold the customer. No negative impact on employment was found due to the opening of more organized outlets in the city. Nearly 26% of small retailers increased the number of employees and another 74% having maintained same number of employees. Only a few number of retail shops have been closed as reported by the sampled retailers. The closing of those few retail shops is not because of organized retail but for other reason. Most of the retailers practiced different strategy like 10% retailers reduced prices, 12% reduced their expenses and 14% added new product lines to compete with the supermarkets.

Keywords

Supermarket, Small Retail, Profit, Turnover, Employment.

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Sudip Kumar Das ¹, Seema Nath ², Kuldeep Choudhary ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Agribusiness Management, College of Agriculture, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad (Telangana), IN
2 Department of Agri Business Management, College of Agriculture, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad (Telangana), IN
3 ASPEE Agribusiness Management Institute, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari (Gujarat), IN

Abstract

The present study perception of respondents towards supermarket and future strategies of small retailers was conducted in Hyderabad city during the year 2011. Among the 100 sampled retailers, 54 per cent of are unsure about the future of business. Whereas 40 per cent are sure that in future, business will grow and only 6 per cent viewed that business will not grow. Out of total 50 sampled retailers, 30 per cent of retailers predicted that supermarket will be the way in future. Whereas 30 per cent of retailers expect that only loyal customers will not shift to supermarket and 14 per cent expressed that there will not be any change from the present situation. About 48 per cent of the consumers are in favour of opening of more organised outlets, whereas 22 per cent are not in favour and 30 per cent of consumers are in favour of expanding unorganised as well as organised outlets. About 20 per cent of the retailers were willing to involve their children in the same business, whereas 56 per cent retailers left the choice to their children and 8 per cent of retailers preferred other businesses for their children. About 62 per cent of the retailers are in favour of taking bank finance. Among them 77 per cent wants them to expand the business and 10 per cent of retailers want to use it to start other business.

Keywords

Perception of Respondents, Supermarket, Future Strategies.

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