Marketing Losses and Their Impact on Marketing Margins: A Case Study of Banana in Karnataka

The explicit evaluation of the post-harvest losses at different stages of marketing and their impact on farmers’ net price, marketing costs, margins and efficiency have been presented. It has been found that the existing methods tend to overstate the farmers’ net price and marketing margins of intermediaries. In fact, the margin of the retailers’ after taking into account the physical loss during retailing has been found to be negative (loss), which otherwise, was positive (profit) in the conventional estimation. Similarly, the producers’ net share and wholesalers’ margins also decrease substantially. It has been shown that marketing efficiency is inversely proportional to the marketing losses. The co-operative marketing has been found to be a more efficient system in terms of both operations and price. Marketing cost has been identified as the major constraint in the wholesale marketing channel and bringing down the costs, particularly the commission charges as demonstrated in the co-operative channel, will help in reducing the price-spread and increasing the producers’ margin. The need for specialized transport vehicles for perishable commodities has been highlighted.Crop Production/Industries, Marketing,

Exploring Market Potential and Developing Linkages – A Case of Underutilized Fruit Products in India

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, India, under the aegis of International Centre for Underutilized Crops (ICUC), trained the officials of Bharathiya Agro-Industries Foundation (BAIF), a nongovernmental organization (NGO), on small scale processing and marketing of underutilized fruits in August 2004. As a result, small scale processing units were established at the community village level in the state of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat in India for processing of underutilized fruits like aonla, tamarind and jackfruit into different products. Later, a survey was undertaken to ascertain the processing and market potential of underutilized fruit products. The market survey in the Hassan district of Karanataka has indicated the presence of underutilized fruit products like citron pickles, tamarind paste and jackfruit chips, which are sold by the retailers in small quantities. The market survey of underutilized fruit products in Pune (Maharashtra) has indicated the trading of underutilized fruit products like aonla pickle, aonla squash, aonla supari and tamarind products like concentrate, pani puri masala in the market, though in small quantities. The market survey in the Dharmapur and Valsad markets, Gujarat has indicated the presence of underutilized fruit products like pachan aonla (digestive aonla), ber powder, salted ber and tamarind under different brand names like Oswal, Khelkar, Frootlet, etc. The share of the underutilized fruit products is small but these products have made their presence felt in the market. By and large, consumers have accepted the quality and price of the products of the small scale community processing unit. However, label needs improvement and is to be made more attractive. Thus, market research has helped in identifying the potential markets for the underutilized fruit products of the community level processing units. The institutional arrangements in the form of IIHR-BAIF have benefited the community at large and the women SHGs in particular.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Estimation of Post-Harvest Losses in Kinnow Mandarin in Punjab Using a Modified Formula

This study undertaken in Punjab on kinnow mandarin has suggested to include marketing loss in the estimation of marketing margins, price spread and efficiency and has used a modified formula for it. It has been observed that a majority of kinnow producers sell their orchards to the pre-harvest contractors/ traders at different stages. The aggregate post-harvest losses from orchards to consumers in kinnow in two different markets ranges from 14.87 per cent in Delhi market to 21.91 per cent in Bangalore market. It has indicated the necessity of establishing kinnow processing industries for development of value-added ready-to-serve (RTS) quality products, minimizing post-harvest losses and providing remunerative price to the producers. The results have emphasized that efforts should be made to adopt improved packaging techniques, cushioning material and cold storage facilities at the retail level. The producer’s share in consumer’s price as estimated by old method has been found higher in local market than Bangalore and Delhi markets, largely because of lower marketing costs and profit margins of traders. The inclusion of marketing loss in the estimation of marketing margins, price spread and efficiency has indicated that the old estimation method unduly over-states the farmers’ net price and profit margins to the market middlemen. It is appropriate to use modified method for the estimation of marketing margins and price spread.Crop Production/Industries,

Integrated Pest and Disease Management in Tomato: An Economic Analysis

The adoption of IPM technology in tomato using African marigold as a trap crop, root dipping of seedlings in Imidacloprid, soil application of neem/pongamia cake, spraying of botanicals like pongamia soap and biopesticide like Ha NPV has been found effective in both insect as well as disease management. The IPM technology has been found economically viable as the yield on IPM farms has been found higher by about 46 per cent, cost of cultivation has been less by about 21 per cent and the net returns have been higher by 119 per cent. The technology can be considered environment-friendly as it uses more of eco-friendly inputs and less of chemicals. The constraints like non-availability of botanicals and bio-pesticides should be addressed on priority basis to make the technology sustainable and more popular.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Economic Analysis of Post-Harvest Loss and Marketing Efficiency in Guava (cv. Allahabad safeda) in Karnataka

Post-harvest losses (PHL) in guava (cv. Allahabad safeda) were estimated at the field and retail levels in Karnataka, and impact of this loss on marketing efficiency was studied. Results indicated that the total PHL was 13.29% consisting of field-level loss (9.17%) and retail level loss (4.12%). The producer's share was 51.52% and PHL, when included as an item of cost, reduced the share to 45.80%. PHL also reduced marketing efficiency index from 1.06 to 0.88, thereby indicating the importance of PHL and scope for minimizing it to improve the efficiency of the marketing system in guava

Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Vector Mosquitoes in a Non-endemic Area, India

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a serious growing public health problem in India, gradually engulfing new areas. In north India, eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh had been highly endemic for JE since 1978. JE outbreak was reported to have jumped over 800 km distance from its earlier most endemic area (eastern parts of north India) to a location (Karnal) in the Haryana state of western parts of north India, during the year 1990, which never reported JE earlier.1 Later, the disease gradually spread to its adjoining districts in the state. First time, from western Uttar Pradesh, 7 cases and 4 deaths due to suspected JE were reported in 2003 from Saharanpur district. In the subsequent year, 13 deaths due to suspected viral encephalitis were reported from 26th September to 23rd October, 2004 from one village namely Khekra, from Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh which is about 128 km west of Saharanpur. A serosurvey carried out on 24th and 25th October, 2004 among the family members of dead persons revealed hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies against JE and West Nile (WN) virus. Further, an outbreak of suspected JE was reported from Saharanpur district in 2005, with 212 cases and 157 deaths. This caused matter of great concern to extend further studies in Baghpat where prevalence of flavivirus infection was already recorded in the locality. For monitoring of arbovirus activities in an area, detection of virus in human sera is cumbersome, difficult and also not desirable. Therefore, as an alternative approach, detection of virus antigen in mosquitoes by antigen capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has provided a reliable tool to comprehend the types of virus circulating in nature.2 Detecting arbovirus in mosquitos forms an important part of vector surveillance and may at times also serve as an early warning signal for outbreaks, if however linked with phonological and epidemiological studies. Vector infection and abundance were found to be good indicators of JE occurrence in surveillance studies conducted in South India.3 An attempt was thus made to detect the presence of JE virus (JEV) antigen in vector mosquitoes by ELISA method from the encephalitis-affected area of Baghpat district and to provide evidence of circulating of Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) in natural animal-mosquito cycle

Economic Analysis of Post-harvest Losses in Marketing of Vegetables in Uttarakhand

The study has examined the nature and extent of post-harvest losses in vegetable supply chain in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. Multistage cluster sampling has been used for selection of 80 vegetable growers, 40 farmers from the hilly region and 40 farmers from the bhabhar region. The sample has also included 25 market functionaries. Twelve major vegetables have been selected for the study. The maximum aggregate post-harvest losses have been found in tomato, followed by potato, brinjal, chilly, French bean and pea. The study has suggested that establishment of producer co-operatives to handle various activities relating to production and marketing of vegetables would help in reducing post-harvest losses.Post-harvest losses, Uttarakhand, Vegetable supply chain, Tomato, Potato, Brinjal, Chilly, French bean, Pea, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q13, Q12, Q18,

Identifikasi arca tokoh berkepala singa di Museum Penataran

The field study that was organized by the committee of Premodern Java Summer Programme in 2016 targeted several museums in East Java, especially in MojokertoPenataran area. That field study was intended to provide an understanding about the development of cultural arts during the end of Hindu-Buddhist period of Majapahit Kingdom. This paper is discussing about one of the objects that was being observed during that Summer Programme. The object of discussion is the lion-headed figure, stored in Museum Penataran. During the Summer Programme, some participants have predicted that the statue is Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha form. That prediction was mainly based on the statue's head which resemble a lion's head. Through several studies, such as the description of the statue, the literature study of iconography, and analysis about the special iconographic character, this paper concluded that this figure is a manifestation of Ganesha, named Simha-Ganapati. The worship of Simha-Ganapati has a purpose not only to bring strength and courage, but also to provide confidence in facing problems by destroying all forms of negative thoughts

Marketed Surplus and Price Spread of Vegetables in Kashmir Valley

The paper has reported the growth of vegetable sector in relation with technology mission, extent and determinants of marketed surplus and price spread of vegetables in the Kashmir valley. A substantial increase in the area and production of vegetables has been observed under Mini-Mission-II scheme of Technology Mission. At the farm level, vegetables have been observed to occupy an important place in the cropping pattern. The intensity of cropping in the study area has become more than 250 per cent due to multiple cropping of vegetable crops. On an average, producers’ marketed surplus has been found more than 92 per cent of the total production of selected vegetables. The estimates of regression function have revealed that the production, area under improved varieties, net price received by producers and education level are the significant and positive determinants of marketed surplus, while spoilage at farm level and consumption have shown a negative contribution. The price spread of vegetables with respect to various marketing channels has indicated that the producers’ share has an inverse relationship with the number of intermediaries. The net price received by the producers is relatively higher in the channels in which the produce is directly sold to the consumers or retailers. Across different vegetables, producers could receive higher absolute net returns in tomato, followed by brinjal and cauliflower in all the channels. The study has suggested that the coverage of technology mission should be expanded to other niche areas of vegetable cultivation. The study has also highlighted the needed effective measures to reduce marketing losses at various stages. Study has emphasized on the strengthening of institutions, establishment of processing units and development of market infrastructure in the area.Agricultural and Food Policy,