Srivastava, S.K.Gupta, Sangeeta2021-12-172021-12-172021-11https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810179410Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain through all the way production to final consumption. Globally around 1.3 billion metric tons of food, which is 33 per cent of the total produce, is lost in the postharvest stage and it also predicts that if the current practices continue, then the loss would be around 2.1 billion metric tons by 2030. India’s share in vegetable production is about 60 % from all horticulture crops and the Uttarakhand got 19th rank in the country in terms of production. But state suffers from various inadequate facilities that lead to the postharvest losses. Therefore, the present study has been conducted with reference to postharvest losses in vegetables marketing in Dehradun district to examine the marketing pattern followed by producer-seller of vegetables, to estimate the marketing cost, marketing margins of marketing functionaries and marketing efficiency in different marketing channels of vegetables, to estimate the extent of postharvest losses of major vegetables, and to identify the major factors affecting postharvest losses. The multistage sampling has been done for selection of blocks, villages and farmers in the study area. The data have been collected from 60 selected farmers from 3 different blocks for the year 2020-21 while, 15 market intermediaries have also been selected are involved in vegetables marketing. Descriptive statistics has been used to estimate the marketing pattern followed by producer-seller of vegetables, simple descriptive analysis is done to estimate the marketing cost, marketing margin, price spread and producer share’s in consumer rupee in disposal of vegetables across the observed marketing channels, descriptive statistics has been used to calculate postharvest losses at producer-seller level, and the ordinary least square technique has been used to identify the factors affecting postharvest losses at producerseller level. The results of the study indicate that vegetables have been graded at the producer level to fetch higher prices in hills as well as plains. Generally gunny bags, plastics crates and wooden boxes have been used for packaging in hills whereas, in plains gunny bags as well as poly bags/mesh bags, plastics crates have been used. Hilly farmers used hired mule or hired head load to move the produce from farm to motorable road while only hired head load has been used in plains. Trucks and bolero in hills and trucks and mini pick-up truck in plains have been used for transportation of vegetables from motorable road to markets. Commission paid by producer-seller is found (6.25%) which is contrary to the bye-laws of the regulated market. In hills as well as in plains, channel I (producer-wholesaler-cum-commission agent-retailer-consumer) is the principal channel for marketing and the channel II is producer-retailer-consumer to more the vegetable to nearby consumers. In channel I, under hilly region marketing cost incurred by producer-seller varied from Rs. 379.79 per qt for tomato to Rs. 626.81 per qt for okra, and by retailer, it varied from Rs. 177.79 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 396.06 per qt for tomato. However, in plains, it ranged from Rs. 219.62 per qt for tomato to Rs. 458.65 per qt for okra for producer and by retailer it varied from Rs. 88.47 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 297.81 per qt for tomato. The net income realized by WCA in channel I ranged from Rs. 44.16 per qt (cauliflower) to Rs. 320.15 per qt (okra). For retailer, it varied from Rs. 98.87 per qt (cauliflower) to Rs. 553.94 per qt (okra) in hills whereas, in plains, it ranged between Rs. 188.2 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 540.67 per qt in okra. Price spread in channel I was highest for cauliflower (51.73%) and lowest for pea (34.85%) in hills, while, in plains highest for cauliflower (39.36%) and lowest for okra (25.66%). In hills, marketing cost incurred by producer on channel II was highest for pea (Rs. 102.3 per qt) and lowest for brinjal (Rs. 91.24 per qt) and for retailer, it varied from Rs. 65.36 per qt for cauliflower to Rs.78.91 per qt for pea. Whereas, in plains, marketing cost incurred by producer on channel II was highest for pea (Rs. 66.74 per qt) and lowest for tomato (Rs. 50.98 per qt), whereas, for retailer it ranged from Rs. 46.7 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 59.12 per qt for tomato. The net margin realized by retailer in channel II varied from Rs. 84.64 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 276.73 per qt for okra in hills, whereas, in plains, Rs. 99.71 per qt for cauliflower to Rs. 317.73 per qt for okra. Price spread in channel II is found highest for cauliflower (22.98%) and lowest for okra (12.67%) in hill, while, in plains highest for tomato (22.05%) and lowest for okra (12.08%). Channel I is found comparatively more efficient in plains, with the efficiency indices varied from 1.21 (cauliflower) to 1.84 (okra), while, in hills, the efficiency indices varied from 0.78 (cauliflower) to 1.42 (okra). Channel II is found more efficient in plains, with the efficiency indices varied from 3.90 (tomato) to 7.53 (okra), while, comparatively less efficient in hills, with the efficiency indices varied from 3.53 (tomato) to 7.27 (okra). The maximum post harvest losses are found in hills, in case of tomato i.e. 15.60% of total production during grading, packaging, transportation and selling stages followed by brinjal (9.18%), pea (9.07%), French bean (8.83%), okra (8.25%), potato (8.16%) and cauliflower (7.72%). Whereas, in plains less losses have been observed in case of tomato (13.80%) followed by brinjal (8.09%), French bean (7.51%), okra (7.23%), pea (7.01%), cauliflower (6.71%) and potato (6.20%) at producer-seller level. Educational status of farmers, type of family (joint fmaily), labour availability and availability of non-farm income are found negatively affecting post harvest losses while, production, distance of market from farm and operational area are the factors affecting it directly. Although vegetable production has been found increasing oven time in the study area, the net returns of farmers can be enhanced by extending training and awareness programs to reduce postharvest losses. There is a need to develop infrastructure, especially in hills like roap-ways, etc., to reduce transportation costs and postharvest losses. Provisions of APMC act should be faithfully executed in order to reduce market malpractices such as charging commission from producer-seller of vegetables and charging more than the prescribed commission from the buyers.EnglishThesis