Marketing margins and channels for stevia cultivated in mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh

The present study was carried out to evaluate the marketing margins and costs involved under different market phases and channels of stevia under the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. Various intermediaries were identified in different channels and this separation further enabled to evaluate the marketing margins of different middlemen involved. Generally the efficiency of marketing system is reflected by the volume of marketing margins. The higher market margins show less shares of producers and more benefits to marketing middlemen and vice-versa. Six common marketing channel producers and consumers were studied viz Channel 1 (processing units outside state), Channel 2 (producers -co-operative societies – consumers), Channel 3 (producers - local trader cum commission agent - processing units outside state), Channel 4 (producers -local trader cum commission agent – wholesalers – processing units), Channel 5 (producers – traditional healers) and Channel 6 (producers and consumers). The results revealed higher marketing margins for stevia. The marketing margins were 47.57 per cent when stevia was marketed through Channel 2 while in Channel 3 the marketing margins were 32.56 per cent. These margins indicate an inefficient marketing system which may reduce the profit of stevia growers. However an update of marketing information is pre-requisite for effective grower-based marketing systems.