ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SUPPLY CHAIN OF FRESH POTATO IN MIDDLE GUJARAT

This investigation was undertaken with a view to study different approaches of supply chain of potato and analyzed their efficiency and constraints faced by vegetable growers of middle Gujarat. The district, talukas and villages from the study area were chosen purposively by adopting multi-stage sampling technique. A sample of 200 potato growers spread over ten villages of three talukas of Anand and Kheda districts of middle Gujarat were selected for the detailed inquiry. The results revealed that of the total production of potato, the marketable surplus was 91.93% and about three-fourth of total quantum was dispatched to distant markets by the sample growers. The Producer - Wholesaler – cum – Commission agent - Retailer - Consumer – was the major marketing channel as more then 60% of marketed surplus moved through this route. The major marketing constraints faced by the vegetable growers were of higher production expenditure, higher price fluctuation, lack of marketing information and lack of transportation facilities. To overcome the problems, the provision of cold storage facilities to the farmers at village level, adequate transport facilities for the movement of vegetables from the places of production to various market centers, dissemination of market information to the farmers, establishment of vegetable co-operative marketing societies and fixation of minimum/maximum prices of vegetables are some of the means suggested to improve the efficiency of marketing of potato in the state.