Identifying the Factors Hindering the Growth of Agricultural Markets: A Study with Reference to Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka

GAgriculture has been a way of life and continues to be the single most important livelihood of the masses in our country. There seems to be umpteen repulsive forces that act as the pull factors in continuing the agriculture in general and growing food-grains in particular, by the farming community. Something that is dissuading people for developing aversion towards agriculture must be dealt with all the seriousness and gravity. Data from Registrar General of India shows that the numbers of cultivators are reducing over years and there is increase of number of agricultural labourers in our country, showing clearly the shift from farming activities by traditional farmers. The reduction in rural population over years also underlines the serious issue of migration to urban areas. Agricultural labourers are migrating to the construction jobs due to availability of benefits such as medical benefits, maternity benefits and also leave with pay which is not the same with agricultural sector. Shortage of agricultural labourers and lack of motivation by the agricultural landlords is causing serious problems in maintaining food security in an agrarian economy like ours. Lack of proper agricultural marketing facilities and infrastructure opportunities has catapulted the withdrawal of farmers from continuing their agricultural activities. The paper not only discusses the causative factors for farmers giving up agriculture in D. K district but also aims to understand the perspectives of the farmers in hindering the growth of agricultural markets by keeping APMCAct 2003 and its modifications in the background. Majority of the sample respondent farmers expressed their grievance regarding mandis, and middlemen. Farmers were disappointed regarding non availability of price discovery and value addition which was dissuading them from continuing the noble work of agriculture.