Perception Analysis of Vegetable Experts on Setting Priority for Enhancing Efficiency of Agribusiness and Marketing in Vegetable Sector in India

Agribusiness in terms of linkages in marketing channel, market infrastructure, price stabilization and maintaining liaison between demand and supply is a sine qua non for horticultural crops like vegetables, which are perishable in nature. Poor linkages in the supply chain and poor marketing infrastructure are leading to high and fluctuating consumer prices for vegetables and only a small proportion of the consumer rupee reaches to the farmers. There is substantial wastage, deterioration in quality, and frequent mismatch between demand and supply of vegetables, spatially and over the time. Research and development (R&D) in agribusiness is needed to be revitalised and an effort was made to identify the priority areas where interventions are required. This study was undertaken by conducting a survey of horticultural and marketing experts in which major problematic areas in agribusiness of vegetable crops were considered. According to 72 per cent of respondents, inadequacy of infrastructure and cold storage facilities (Rank-1) are among the most problematic areas where intervention should be a priority. The other problem areas are lengthy marketing channel and unorganised marketing system (Rank-2), inadequate contract farming in vegetables (Rank-3), small scale production of quality processed vegetable items are inadequate (Rank-4), instability in vegetable price leads to food price inflation (Rank-5) etc. Addressing all the problems at one time is difficult. This study throws some light to the policy makers and research managers to identify the way in which future agribusiness R&D should be directed in vegetable sector.