Marketing Behaviour of Vegetable Growers in Uttarakhand hills

Vegetable production has great economic importance in hills of Uttarakhand. For deriving optimum return from the production, marketing of green vegetables is very crucial. A study was conducted in Almora and Nainital districts of Uttarahand to find out marketing behaviour of the vegetable growers and constraints in marketing of vegetable produce. Results revealed that distant mandi was a major choice for sale of the produce. Majority of farmers sold their full produce by using private mode of transportation. They followed grading and standardization and spent more than six hours in a week for farm related activities. Relatives/friends and vegetable merchants were major sources of market preference. The major marketing constraints were higher commission rate of middlemen, fluctuating market rate, non-availability of nearby market, high transportation charges and high cost of packaging material. The solution lies in creation of horticulture based self-help group at village level, organization of weekly Hat, strict compliance of rules and regulation of regulated market, guidance on market avenues from time to time to the vegetable growers.