Status of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Punjab
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Date
2018
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the objectives of estimating the magnitude of existing
agricultural marketing infrastructure in Punjab, studying the trends in market arrivals of
different crops in Punjab, analyzing the extent of adequacy of market infrastructure, studying
the problems and constraints faced by the farmers in the marketing of farm produce and
spelling out the policy implications of the study. The primary data was collected during 2016-
17 from a sample of 180 farmers from 6 districts of the state. An increase in the number of
principal markets, storage capacity and road length per 100 sq km of area was witnessed over
the years whereas there was a decline in the average number of villages served per regulated
market. Majority of the principal yards and sub yard had the facilities of covered sheds,
auction platforms, roads and parking and boundary walls. Trend analysis indicated an
increasing trend in the market arrivals of paddy, wheat, fruits and vegetables whereas cotton
and maize displayed a decreasing trend over time. Analysis of adequacy of regulated markets
in Punjab revealed that the magnitude of regulated markets is somewhat closer to the required
number of markets for almost all the districts of the state. Factor analysis on various
infrastructural facilities revealed that weighing facilities, lighting arrangements and electricity
were adequate in the markets of Punjab. Garrett’s ranking technique ranked delay in
procurement as the major problem of paddy marketing. However, exploitative practices by the
intermediaries, lack of public procurement and lack of remunerative prices were identified as
major problems faced during marketing of basmati, maize and cotton respectively. For the
marketing of fruits, the major problem faced by the farmers was the exploitative practices by
market intermediaries whereas in case of vegetable, lack of remunerative price for their
produce was identified as the major problem. Therefore emphasis should be laid on enhancing
the existing facilities in the regulated markets, providing appropriate information on prices of
agricultural commodities and imparting training to farmers for efficient marketing.
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