Year: 2015 | Month: June | Volume 60 | Issue 2
Agricultural Marketing Information System– A Case Study of Traders in Meghalaya
Lakshmi Dhar Hatai
Debashish Panda
DOI:10.5958/0976-4666.2015.00039.X
Abstract:
Agricultural marketing information is an essential input for boosting agricultural growth in rural areas. An attempt has been made to identify the various pattern of awareness, sources, utilization and its benefits, constraint, and expectations to agricultural marketing information(AMI) among the traders in the study area of two regulated markets namely, Mawiong Regulated Market in Mylliem Block of East Khasi Hills and Garobadha Regulated Market in Selsella Block of West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.The sample size consisted of 40tradersfrom both selected regulated market areas were selected for the study based on purposive and random sampling technique.From the findings of the research study, It was revealed that the degree of awareness on prices in local markets placed the I Rank (first) followed by arrivals in local markets, arrivals and prices in reference markets (III Rank). It was observed that traders were always relied on contacts in other market (90%) and fellow traders (75%) for market information. Newspaper placed the III rank on degree of awareness of AMI sources among the traders. It was clearly seen that the agricultural market information was utilized by traders in deciding price to be quoted (I Rank), followed by the quantity to be purchased (II Rank) and the quantity to be store (III Rank). It was observed that traders were most benefited by changing time of sale (90%), followed by mode of storage (85%). About 75 per cent of traders expressed that AMI was not available in required form.The expectation aspects of traders on AMI indicated that the prices in other nearby markets (95%), future price projections (87.5%) and quality wise prices (75%) were given more priority by traders in the study area. It is necessary toensured flow of regular and reliable data to producers, traders and consumers to derive maximum benefit of their sales and purchases.Emphasis should be given on delivery mechanism of information, so that market information reaches timely to the end users in the hilly regions of Meghalaya.
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