Marketing Pattern and Price Spread of Green Fodder in Punjab

The study was conducted in three agro-climatic zones of Punjab state viz. Sub mountainous zone, Central zone and South Western zone for examining the marketing pattern, price spread and marketing efficiency of various marketing channels and marketing problems being faced by the fodder growers. It was observed that out of the total sample size of 120 farmers, only 20 farmers were involved in marketing of fodder. Majority of them were selling fodder occasionally, criteria of payment was daily cash basis and maximum distance covered by majority of the fodder growers for marketing of green fodder was between 5–10 kilometers. The major reason for sale of fodder was fodder production being economical followed by surplus fodder production. For the maize crop, there was only one marketing channel (Channel-I) which was not so popular channel. For sorghum crop, there were two marketing channels (Channel-II and III). For the bajra crop, there existed three channels (Channel-I, II and III) and for berseem crop, there were two marketing channels i.e. Channel-II and III. The marketing efficiency was highest in Channel-III for all the crops. The important marketing problems being faced by the fodder growers were lack of proper market followed by price fluctuations, low output prices and distant market.