Marketing Pattern of Poplar and Eucalyptus in Punjab

The present study focused on the analysis of marketing pattern of poplar and eucalyptus in Punjab. Poplar growers were found in Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur districts whereas eucalyptus growers in Hoshiarpur and Muktsar districts. The data pertained to the year 2015–16. The sample of 71 farmers and 84 marketing intermediaries were selected. Five channels were identified in the case of poplar and three for eucalyptus. It was found that 72 and 68 per cent of farmers sold their produce to pre-harvest contractors in case of poplar and eucalyptus respectively. Channel-I was efficient for both tree species as marketing efficiency was 0.33 and 0.32 for poplar and eucalyptus respectively showing lesser the middlemen greater the efficiency will be. In the case of poplar, farmers got higher benefit by selling their produce to pre-harvest contractors whereas, in case of eucalyptus, the farmers got more benefit by selling their produce to processing units directly.