10320140504001

International Journal of Marketing and Human Resource Management (IJMHRM), ISSN 0976 – 6421 (Print),

ISSN 0976 – 643X (Online), Volume 5, Issue 4, July – August (2014), pp. 01-05 © IAEME

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A STUDY ON MARKETING PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY

TOMATO GROWERS AND SOURCE OF MARKET

INFORMATION

1M. V. SRINIVAS,

2Y. B. VENKATAREDDY,

3B. S. LAKSHMAN REDDY

1Ex-PG student, Dept. of Agricultural Extension, University of Agricultural

Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, India 2Jr. Liason Officer, Coffee Board, Gonnikoppa, Karnataka,India

3Assistant Professor of Agricultural Extension Education, College of Horticulture,

University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot- 587102, Karnataka, India

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted in Chinthamani, Kolar, Mulbagal and Srinivaspur

taluks of Kolar district of Karnataka state with a sample size of 120 tomato growers to

analyze the existing marketing practices followed by tomato growers and source of flow of

market information. The findings reveal that, 88.33% farmers indicated that they harvest at

the stage of half ripened, 85.84% of the farmers have used wooden box for packing, 71.67%

of the farmers used tempo to transport the produce, 64.17% of the farmers are not practicing

the grading and about 96.67% of farmer used 15kg box as standard weight. All the farmers

indicated that price of the produce is determined by open auction and 85.83% of farmers

indicated payment is made on the spot. Overall marketing practices of Tomato growers reveal

that 53.33% of the tomato growers belong to medium level of marketing practices category.

land holding, annual income, cosmopoliteness and infrastructure facilities were positively

significant relationship with marketing practices.

Keywords: Market Information, Market Determination, Source of Information, Marketing

Practice.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARKETING AND HUMAN

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (IJMHRM)

ISSN 0976 – 6421 (Print)

ISSN 0976 – 643X (Online)

Volume 5, Issue 4, July – August (2014), pp. 01-05

© IAEME: http://www.iaeme.com/IJMHRM.asp

Journal Impact Factor (2014): 4.7830 (Calculated by GISI)

www.jifactor.com

IJMHRM

© I A E M E



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INTRODUCTION

An efficient marketing of tomato plays an important role to increase the producer

share in the consumer rupee. Presently, the vegetable marketing is mainly in the hands of

middleman like village merchants, commission agents, etc. The producer is only a price

receiver. Therefore, many times tomato producers have to resort to distress sale due to

uncertain situation in marketing of tomato. With this background, the present study is taken

up to analyze the existing marketing practices followed by tomato growers and to know the

sources of flow of market information.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To study the marketing practices of the tomato growers

2. To know their soruce flow of market information

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research study was conducted in Kolar district, largest producers of Tomato in

Karnataka and ranks first in both area and production. In Kolar district, Chintamani, Kolar,

Mulbhagal, Srinivaspur taluks were purposively selected as these taluks had highest area and

production under Tomato. From each taluk, three villages were selected on highest area. Thus,

12 villages were selected for the study. From each of these selected villages, 10 respondents

were selected by randomly. Thus, a total of 120 Tomato growers constituted as sample for the

study.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results and discussions are presented under various headings as below;

1. Marketing practice wise analysis

The analysis of practice-wise marketing practices are presented in table 1.

Stage of harvesting About 88.33% of the farmers indicated that they harvest at the stage of half ripened,

whereas 11.67% of the farmers harvest their produce at the stage of full ripened. The reason

may be half ripened tomato had good demand, high price and less damage during

transportation.

Mode of packing Table 2 indicates that 85.84% of the farmers have used wooden box for packing,

whereas 10.83% of them used bamboo basket as a packing material, and 3.33% have used

plastic box as a packing material. The possible reason might be easy availability of material

locally and also reduce the damage during transportation.



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Mode of transport Majority (71.67%) of the farmers used tempo to transport the produce followed by

followed by tractor (53.33%), Bus top (33.3%) and lorry (14.17%). The reason might be the

quantity of the produce, availability of tempo at the door step, and can reach market timely.

Grading About 35.83% of the farmers are practicing grading, where as 64.17% of the farmers

are not practicing the grading. The possible reason might be lack of knowledge, lack of grading

facility and may not remunerative. Out of 35.83% of the farmers who followed grading,

67.44% of them graded the produce based on the size, 23.25 % graded based on the colour and

9.31% graded based on the variety. Though, grading help farmers to get higher price to their

produce only few (35.83%) of the farmers are grading the produce.

Distance of market

Half of the farmers brought their produce to market with in the range of 10-20 km,

followed by 25% in the range of 20-30 Km, 16.67% below 10 Km and 8.33% in the range of

30-40 Km. This could be due to that farmers think that it is easy to transport nearby which save

time and money.

Method of price determination All the farmers indicated that price of the produce is determined by open auction. The

possible reason may be the transparency in marketing through open auction and create

competitiveness.

Method of payment About 85.83% farmers indicated that spot payment is made, while 10.83% of them

indicated that advance payment is also made but 3.34% of the farmers said delayed in payment.

According to KAPMR act the commission agents should release full payment in cash to the

sellers/farmer on the same day. But mutual understanding between commission agents and

farmers. Sometime they pay advance payment to farmers for buying of inputs.

Weight of standard box

About 96.67% of farmer used 15kg box as standard weight whereas 3.33% of farmers

used 30 kg box as standard weight. The possible reason is the size depends on the market where

the produce is marketed.

2. Over All Marketing Practices of Tomato Growers The results in Table-2 reveal that 53.33% of the tomato growers belong to medium

level of marketing practices category followed by high (25%) and low (21.67%). The reason

for medium level of marketing practices category might be their level of knowledge.

3. Flow of Market Information

The Table-3 indicates that 93.33% farmers approached friends for market information

followed neighbour (80.83%). Commission agents and telephone were third and fourth in the

hierarchy of flow of market information. The other sources are news paper (29.17%), TV

(21.665), Village merchant (13.13%), input dealers (12.5%), traders (7.5%), Radio (5.83%).

APMC secretary (3.33%), TAPMC secretary (2.5%) and ADM (1.67%).



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Table 1: Marketing practices of tomato growers (n=120)

Sl No. Marketing practices Response

No %

1 Stage of harvesting Fully ripened

Half ripened

14

106

11.67

88.33

2 Mode of packing Bamboo basket

Wooden box

Plastic box

13

103

4

10.83

85.84

3.33

3 Mode of transportation* Tractor

Top of the Bus

Tempo

Lorry

64

40

86

17

53.33

33.33

71.67

14.17

4 I. Grading Followed

Not followed

II. Basis for grading(43)

Size

Colour basis

Variety basis

43

77

29

10

4

35.83

64.17

67.44

23.25

9.31

5 Distance of the market (km) Below 10 km

10-20

20-30

30-40

20

60

30

10

16.67

50.00

25.00

8.33

6 Method of price determination Open auction

Mutual negotiation

120

-------

100.00

------

7 Method of payment Advance payment

Spot payment

Delayed in payment

13

103

13

10.83

85.83

3.34

8 Weight of standard box 15 kg

30 kg

116

4

96.67

3.33

*More than one practice

Table 2: Overall marketing practices of tomato growers (n=120)

Marketing practices Category Respondents

No %

Low

Medium

High

< 9.34

9.34 to 11.44

> 11.44

26

64

30

21.67

53.33

25.00

Total 120 100.00



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Table 3: Source of flow of market information (n=120)

Sl. No. Source Responses

No %

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Friends

Neighbours

Commission agent agent

Telephone

News paper

T.V.

Village merchant

Input dealers

Traders

Radio

APMC secretary

TAPMCS

ADAM

112

97

67

48

35

26

16

15

9

7

4

3

2

93.33

80.83

55.83

40.00

29.17

21.67

13.33

12.50

7.50

5.83

3.33

2.50

1.67

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that more than half of the farmers are not grading their

produce before taking to the market. Hence, this calls for proper education by the

extension worker to create awareness about importance of grading and train them.

They should involve the farmers in each and every extension activity in the local

vicinity increase the number of programme in the area. The official should develop

and maintain good rapport with all the farmers.

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3. Devika, S., Balasubramaniam, P., and Suganthi, N., 2012. Marketing behaviour of

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Volume 4, Issue 6, 2013, pp. 99 - 105, ISSN Print: 0976-6502, ISSN Online:

0976-6510.

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