Farmers’ Insights into Digital Marketing of Agricultural Commodities: A Study in Haryana

Digital marketing is rapidly growing in India, driven by its large population of mobile users and social media enthusiasts. Indian businesses view digital marketing as an essential technique for their success. However, farmers in Haryana, like many other states across the country, are not fully utilizing its potential to market their products beyond their local regions. This underutilization can be attributed to a lack of knowledge and awareness about digital marketing within the farming community.

The present study was conducted in four blocks of Kaithal and Kurukshetra districts of Haryana state. A total of eight villages were selected randomly from the four blocks. For respondent selection, 10 progressive farmers and agripreneurs from each village were selected randomly. Thus, in total, 80 farmers were included in the sample of the study. To measure the knowledge level of farmers about digital marketing, the knowledge index was calculated.

The study found that farmers in Haryana have limited knowledge of digital marketing, especially regarding platforms like ENAM, marketing websites and Facebook. Less than 25 per cent of farmers were awaked of its potential, with an average knowledge score of 25.97 per cent, restricting their ability to utilize digital marketing tools effectively. While they are familiar with social media, its use for agricultural marketing remains minimal. Targeted training on advanced digital marketing concepts including SEO and paid advertising is crucial to enhancing their skills. The Friedman test indicated a statistically significant difference between the knowledge statements, highlighting the need for intervention.