STUDY ON MARKETING OF DRY LEAVES OF STEVIA [Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni] IN BOKARO DISTRICT OF JHARKHAND
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Date
2022
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Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi
Abstract
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni has been in use worldwide since ancient times, it is medicinally important plant native to Brazil and Paraguay. In India major Stevia growing states are Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, J & K, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh. A Study on Marketing of Dry Leaves of Stevia in Bokaro district of Jharkhand, during 2022-2023 was done under the Department of Centre for Agribusiness Management in Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand with objectives 1: To study the socio-economic profile of respondents in study area, 2: To identify different cost occurred / involved in purchasing to packaging of dry leaves stevia, 3: To analyze marketing cost, market margin, marketing efficiency, 4: To find out the constraints in marketing & adoption of stevia leaves. Study was conducted through JIVANBODH-AGROTECH in Bokaro, Jharkhand with the vision of enabling and empowering for the poor to access better livelihoods and to improve their standards of living and work towards social and economical empowerment for rural people specially for women’s. It has done agreement of 5 years for doing contract farming in 38.5 acre of lands with Krishna variety in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. The climatic condition and soil pH of Jharkhand is not found suitable for Stevia cultivation. The productivity of Stevia fresh leaves in Dhar district is 6-7 ton from 38.5-acre land per year. Four blocks from Bokaro district were selected and from each block, 3 villages were selected and 10 respondents from each village and 1 dealer were selected. The results obtained through survey and analysis indicated that 54 percent of the total respondents were living in a nuclear family and rest as joint family. Almost 79 percent respondents were literate and 21 percent were illiterate. Marginal farmers 52 percent followed by small famers 32 percent. Annual income comprises of 41 percent respondents with above 3 lakhs followed by 28 percent with 2-3 lakhs, 25 percent with 1-2 lakhs and rest 6 percent below 1 lakh income. Respondents involved in agriculture were 67 percent followed by other sectors 33 percent. Awareness regarding Stevia was 75 percent among respondents and basically source of information was kisan mela 12.5 percent followed by demonstration 10 percent. It had been observed that 42 percent respondents were having average knowledge about dry leaves Stevia and 21 percent with less knowledge. As resulted about 48 percent respondents said Stevia affordable as compare to other sugar free products and 42 percent respondents were satisfied with the demonstration given by the company and shows 34 percent just satisfaction level followed by 33 percent satisfied level, 24 percent highly satisfied with the Stevia leaves. Main reason for not adopting Stevia leaves were 20.83 percent fear of failure because people want quick result after its use. Total income generated from dry leaves Stevia was Rs. 79,200 from 50 Kg, total marketing cost paid was Rs. 51,350 and profit incurred was Rs. 27,850. Sales record by company was high during Covid period i.e., Rs. 19,80,000 in year 2021. Hence, market linkage and promotion of Stevia for specific demand with high efficiency needs to be addressed, companies should try to popularize their products through promotions and advertisement, with suitable modifications and intervention it could be out scaled for larger benefit of the society.