A Study on Quality, Grading and Prices of Important Vegetable Marketing in Karnataka

C. Murthy

A Study on Quality, Grading and Prices of Important Vegetable Marketing in Karnataka

Date

2005

Authors

C. Murthy

Publisher

UAS Dharwad

Abstract

The technological breakthrough in Indian agriculture has brought about rapid increase in the productivity levels of crops. This has generated new problems in marketing for which adequate attention has not been paid even though it has been recognised that the solution for these problems is a requisite condition for agricultural prosperity. The quality of vegetable produce brought to the market by the farmers varies considerably from lot to lot. The variation in quality is due mainly to the differences in varieties, insect and pest damages, methods and time of harvesting and agro-climatic factors. It is therefore, highly essential to grade the produce brought to the market on scientific lines in order to get remunerative prices. Scientific grading should be based on important test factors so that the sellers would be able to describe the quality that they are offering and the buyers should understand what is being offered. Both primary and secondary information were collected and used in the study. Hubli, Belgaum and Bijapur vegetable markets were purposively selected for the study. These three markets are the terminal markets for onion, potato, tomato and brinjal in the Karnataka state and bulk of the vegetables are produced in these three important markets. A total of 330 samples were collected at random during the peak season (September to January) from these three markets. To determine the seasonal factor(s) the seasonal index numbers were worked out by using the ratio to moving average method. The stepwise multiple regression analysis to study the eye-sight grades, price, quality factors and non-quality factors determining the vegetables prices was employed. It was necessary to give appropriate weightage to each one of these qualitative variables required for the development of grade standards for the selected vegetables. It was evident from the study that eye-sight grading system be replaced by scientific grading.