M.Sc. (Agri.) dissertation

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Date
2005-08
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Volume Title
Publisher
AAU, Anand
Abstract
Banana is the major fruit crop of Anand district. In Gujarat nearly 30 percent of banana cultivation falls in Anand district. Hence, it is prime importance to achieve maximum banana production and to get maximum benefit. Higher per unit production from the banana farm coupled with higher profit is the primary goal of banana growers. For this it is essential to acquire new information and adopt improved cultivation practices of banana as recommended by the scientists. Besides this, for better realization of net profit, marketing aspect should be given due consideration and particularly for banana crop, it is very much important as the banana fruit is highly perishable in nature. Hence, it is essential to identify the information needs of banana growers. Considering this, an investigation entitled,“ Information Needs and Marketing Constraints of banana growers ” was carried out with the following objectives: Abstract 1. To study the personal, social-communicational, economical and psychological characteristics of the banana growers. 2. To ascertain the information needs of the banana growers. 3. To know the marketing constraints of the banana growers. 4. To study the relationship between personal, social-communicational, economical and psychological characteristics of banana growers and their information needs. 5. To study the relationship between personal, social-communicational, economical and psychological characteristics of banana growers and their marketing constraints. 6. To know the suggestions from the banana growers to overcome the marketing constraints faced by them. Research Methodology The present investigation was undertaken to study the information needs and marketing constraints of banana crop in Anand district of Middle Gujarat. Anand district was purposively selected for the present study where banana is grown extensively. Further Anand, Borsad and Anklav talukas of Anand district were considered for the present investigation on the basis of their share to banana area in the district. Then 15 banana growing villages ( five from each taluka) on the basis of area under banana cultivation were selected. Ten banana growers from each of selected villages were chosen. In all, 150 banana growers were selected for detailed study. The study covered the agricultural year 2001-02; 2002-03 and 2003-04 and data were collected with the help of developed interview schedule by survey method. ii Abstract Major findings 1. More than half of the respondents were from the middle age group. 2. More than three-fourth the respondents (78.01 percent) had education from primary to higher secondary level. 3. The occupation of farming and A. H. was the most followed occupation by the respondents. 4. Less than half of the respondents were from small family, while two-fifth of them were from medium size of family. 5. Majority of the respondents were either members in one organization or more than one organizations. 6. More than two-third of the respondents had medium level of exposure to overall utilization of information sources. 7. More than two-third of the respondents had medium level of extension participation. 8. More than two-fifth of the respondents were with medium size of land holding. 9. Nearly three-fourth of the respondents had land under banana cultivation maximum up to 2.00 hectares. 10. More than one-half of the respondents had at least one irrigation source. 11. More than two-third of the respondents had medium level of annual income. 12. Three-fifth of the respondents were found with medium level of economic motivation. 13. More than three-fifth of the respondents were found with medium level of scientific orientation. 14. Nearly three-fourth of the respondents had medium level of market orientation. 15. Less than three-fourth of the respondents were found with medium level of cosmopoliteness. iii Abstract 16. Majority of the farmers expressed their needs for information about market management, tissue culture, plant protection, variety and other supportive facts. 17. The major constraints faced by respondents were lack of risk bearing capacity, low price of banana, lack of reliable updated information on marketing and lack of storage facilities. 18. Among selected independent variables, education, use of information sources, extension participation, size of land holding, land under banana cultivation, annual income, economic motivation, scientific orientation and market orientation had significant correlation with information needs of banana growers. 19. Among selected independent variables, age, education, occupation and market orientation had significant correlation with marketing constraints of banana growers. 20. The important suggestions endorsed by the banana growers to overcome their marketing constraints were: “to determine support price for banana" “setting up banana base agro-processing industries”, “agril. extension system should cover marketing of various crop.” iv
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Agriculture, Extension Education, marketing
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