Status of Regulated Agricultural Markets in Punjab

In the changing world economic order, it is important to study the existing status of markets to analyse their adequacy for better and more efficient agricultural marketing in the state. The present study based on secondary data is an analytical and empirical one. The Punjab state has a large number of regulated agricultural markets which accounts for about six per cent of the total regulated markets in the country. There has been a significant growth in the infrastructural facilities required for orderly marketing of agricultural produce in the state. The number of regulated markets increased from 88 to 146 while the number of villages served per regulated market in the state decreased from 102 to 84 during 1980–81 to 2009–10. Regulated market covers 84 villages in Punjab which form 114.46 sq.km whereas an average regulated market in country covers 244 villages with about 454 sq. Km. The density of regulated markets in Punjab is somewhat close to the norms laid down by National Commission on Agriculture. Financial Performance of Markets showed rise in market fee from all the districts over preceding year. All this indicates that the existing regulated markets have been successful in providing need based services conducive to achieving marketing efficiency which rules out the need for any kind of amendments in the APMC Act. The Government should take steps for improving the efficiency of the exiting agricultural marketing systems.