Farmers Perception Towards Branded Crop Protection Chemicals (CPC) in Tamil Nadu

Crop protection chemicals, commonly known as pesticides, are essential agricultural inputs designed to safeguard crops from threats like weeds (herbicides), insect pests (insecticides), and plant diseases (fungicides/ bactericides). These chemicals are crucial for maintaining yield and quality in agricultural production. Pesticide consumption has shown fluctuations over the past two decades both at the national and state levels in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. This fluctuation is due to the influence of some factors among the farmers. Hence, this research focuses on the significant factors affecting farmers preferences and perceptions towards branded crop protection chemical products in Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 100 farmers were surveyed using a purposive sampling method with well-structured questionnaires in the northern & western parts of Tamil Nadu. Factor analysis was employed for analysis, and four primary factors were identified, accounting for 81.659% of the total variance. “Product trust & effectiveness” (42.44%) was the most influential component, followed by “brand perception & loyalty” (16.68%), “accessibility and value” (11.87%), and “influence & responsibility” (10.65%). These four factors reveal how well products perform, value for money, the importance of easily available products, dealer recommendations, and concerns about environmental safety, which are all influencing the farmers’ perception towards crop protection chemicals. The insights offer actionable recommendations for firms to enhance trust, brand loyalty, accessibility, and sustainability efforts, thereby increasing farmer satisfaction.