Journal ID : AMA-02-04-2023-12158
[This article belongs to Volume - 54, Issue - 04]
Total View : 440

Title : Market Participation of Smallholder Vegetable Growers: Concepts and Evidences from Different Agro-Climatic Zones of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract :

This paper investigates the factors related with smallholder vegetable growers’ market participation in different agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh. A Stratified multistage random sampling technique was used to select 400 vegetable growers. The selection of sampled households was done from all the four agro-climatic zones of the state. Two blocks from each agro-climatic zone were selected purposively for the present study. Farmers gained market information via mobile phones and neighbors/relatives who had already sold their products since they are easily accessible and trustworthy. STATA version 16 was used to analyze the primary data by using a Multinomial Logistic regression model. The findings revealed that a farmers’ participation in nearby market is influenced by distance to market, road infrastructure, and quantity to produce. On the other hand gender, distance to market, market information, education, road infrastructure, and quantity to produce influence farmers’ participation in distant markets. Government intervention encouraged policymakers to enhance farmers' access to market information in order to improve their decision-making on vegetable market participation. There is an urgent need for the government to invest in developing road infrastructure, especially feeder roads that connect farms to major highways.

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