Defects of Agriculture
DEFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL MARKETING IN INDIA
Preface
The term agricultural marketing is composed of two words -agriculture and marketing. Agriculture, in the broadest sense means activities aimed at the use of natural resources for human welfare, and marketing connotes a series of activities involved in moving the goods from the point of production to the point of consumption. Specification, the subject of agricultural marketing includes marketing functions, agencies, channels, efficiency and cost, price spread and market integration, producers surplus etc. The agricultural marketing system is a link between the farm and the non-farm sectors.
Introduction
In India Agriculture was practiced formerly on a subsistence basis; the villages were self sufficient, people exchanged their goods, and services within the village on a barter basis. With the development of means of transport and storage facilities, agriculture has become commercial in character, the farmer grows those crops that fetch a better price. Marketing of agricultural produce is considered as an integral part of agriculture, since an agriculturist is encouraged to make more investment and to increase production. Thus there is an increasing awareness that it is not enough to produce a crop or animal product; it must be marketed as well.
The importance of marketing in agriculture is very well illustrated by saying, "that a good farmer has one eye on the plough and the other on the market". This is true when agriculture is mainly for subsistence; and now, even Indian agriculture is becoming commercialized. In these days of commercial agriculture, it will be more fit to say, "a good farmer has only his hands on the plough but the eyes on the market’
Since agriculture constitutes a major part of the economy, marketing of agricultural products also assumes considerable importance in our context.
Agricultural
Preface
The term agricultural marketing is composed of two words -agriculture and marketing. Agriculture, in the broadest sense means activities aimed at the use of natural resources for human welfare, and marketing connotes a series of activities involved in moving the goods from the point of production to the point of consumption. Specification, the subject of agricultural marketing includes marketing functions, agencies, channels, efficiency and cost, price spread and market integration, producers surplus etc. The agricultural marketing system is a link between the farm and the non-farm sectors.
Introduction
In India Agriculture was practiced formerly on a subsistence basis; the villages were self sufficient, people exchanged their goods, and services within the village on a barter basis. With the development of means of transport and storage facilities, agriculture has become commercial in character, the farmer grows those crops that fetch a better price. Marketing of agricultural produce is considered as an integral part of agriculture, since an agriculturist is encouraged to make more investment and to increase production. Thus there is an increasing awareness that it is not enough to produce a crop or animal product; it must be marketed as well.
The importance of marketing in agriculture is very well illustrated by saying, "that a good farmer has one eye on the plough and the other on the market". This is true when agriculture is mainly for subsistence; and now, even Indian agriculture is becoming commercialized. In these days of commercial agriculture, it will be more fit to say, "a good farmer has only his hands on the plough but the eyes on the market’
Since agriculture constitutes a major part of the economy, marketing of agricultural products also assumes considerable importance in our context.
Agricultural