A study on marketing strategies of mushroom production in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh

Introduction

Button Mushroom (Agaricus spp.) is the most popular mushroom variety grown and consumed the world over. In India, its production earlier was limited to the winter season, but with technology development, these are produced almost throughout the year in small, medium and large farms, adopting different levels of technology. The species being grown in most farms is the white button mushroom (Agaricusbisporus) belonging to Class Basidiomycetes and Family Agaricaceae. White button mushrooms are grown all over the world and account for 35-45% of the total mushroom production. In India, large units with production capacities between 2000 -3000 tonnes / annum, have been set up mainly as exportoriented units in the southern, western and northern regions. A large number of small units without climatic control equipment exist throughout India and function during the autumn and winter months only. A big gap exists between the demand and supply position of white button mushrooms in the United States and European market. India exports the highest quantity of the mushroom produced in the country to USA. Netherlands and China account for 60% of the export of mushrooms. Germany is the largest importer and France and UK are large producers as well as consumers. Marketing problem is experienced in the winter months (December-February) when more than 75% of the annual production comes in market for sale in limited duration and market area. Farmers face the consequences of over-saturated market and are forced to sell their produce at a cheaper price. The commercial units need to establish mushroom processing unit so that during peak periods when there is glut of mushrooms in the market, the growers can resort to preservation of mushroom and as such fluctuation in prices will not affect the project economy. Marketing of mushrooms in India is not yet organized. It is the simple system of producers selling directly to retailer or even to the consumer. Wholesale distributor is mostly missing. However, trade in the processed (canned and dried) is sizeable and organized. In other countries 10% of the total cost is earmarked for marketing. The cultivation of white button mushrooms throughout the year under controlled condition is restricted to a few commercial units and much of the production is under natural conditions during the winters. Majority of the growers in India do not have pasteurization facility and other sophisticated machinery/infrastructure for round the year production of white button mushroom. As such, button mushroom is cultivated seasonally when climatic conditions are favourable and production expenses are minimum. Many growers in Haryana, especially in Sonepat, Ambala and Hisar have revolutionized the cultivation of white button mushroom by adopting very simple and cheap technology of construction of mushroom houses (mud houses with thatched roofs). Seasonal growing of white button mushroom in Haryana and Punjab has many advantages like nearness to market, easy and cheap availability of raw material coupled with utilization of family labour. The growers in HP do not use compost www.extensionjournal.com prepared by long method because pasteurized compost is readily available from mushroom projects located at Solan and Palampur. The upper regions of the state have been identified for the cultivation of white button mushroom sand lower regions for 'Dhingri'. In other places the conductive situation in artificially created.

The importance of mushroom cultivation also stems out from following facts

Objectives 1. To study the socio-economic and economic profile of mushroom growers in study area. 2. To identify the marketing channels, marketing cost, marketing margin and marketing efficiency.

Research Methodology

The study was purposively carried out in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, because this district accounts for large scale production and marketing of mushroom. Their annual production of 3425 MT, I690 MT and 1050 MT respectively in the year2017-18 and this production was 1039 MT in Prayagraj district A large number of mushroom growers in the district have received training on mushroom production from various government institutions and schemes. Hence, Kurukshetra district was selected for in-depth study with respect to mushroom. There are 8 blocks in Thanear, Chail, Kada, Prayagraj, Manjanpur, Mooratganj, Newada Sarsawan, Sirathu block in Prayagraj district. Out of this, Prayagraj block was selected due to high production of Button mushroom growers Therefore this block was selected purposively.

A list of villages of Prayagraj block was obtained from District horticulture department Prayagraj. Out of total 111 villages, 5% villages were selected randomly.

A list of all mushroom growers of these villages was obtained from District Horticulture department, Kurukshetra and out of this list 10% mushroom growers were selected randomly mushroom growers were divided into three size groups, viz, Small. Medium and large on the basis of number of mushroom bags produced by them. Prayagraj Mandi was selected on the basis of highest arrival of mushroom in the market for studying the marketing cost, margin and price spread in different channels involved in marketing of Tomato. Investigation regarding different marketing channels involved in Tomato marketing was done by selecting a random sample of such intermediaries as commission agents, wholesalers, and retailers. There were 30 commission agents, 20 wholesalers and 25 retailers, out of which 10 commission agents, 10 wholesalers and 10 retailers were selected randomly to study marketing cost, price spread in different marketing channels.

Analytical Techniques Employed Total cost of marketing

The total cost incurred on marketing by various intermediaries involved in the sale and purchase of the commodity till it reaches the ultimate consumer will be computed as follows:

C= Age and Gender Structure of Sample Size of Household's Age is Considered as an important socio-economic factor which influences the decision-making capacity of human being. Age also gives an idea with respect to earning capacity of a person. Hence, the present study has been undertaken to have an idea about the age pattern of mushroom growers family in the study area which have been presented in Table 2.

Literacy of Sample Respondent

Education is one of the important factors which act as a catalyst in the process of human resource development. The educated person in expected to adopt agricultural technology more precisely understanding of literate person, it is expected that they are likely to get comparatively FM more and respond to make a change the agricultural production process more rationally. Due to better employment than illiterate persons.

Marketing of Mushroom in different Marketing Channels

Efficient marketing of Button Mushroom plays an important role in increasing the producers due to consumer rupee and maintain he tempo of increased production. Mushroom marketing in particular is mainly in hands of middleman like village merchant, retailer and is only price receiver. The marketing costs are determined by the performance and of different marketing functionaries in different channels which in bum influences return to producer, ln this context here is need to study the efficiency of marketing channels in the marketing of mushroom that is cultivated and marketed extensively in the study area From thee preliminary survey conducted in study area, it was observed that the marketing of button mushroom was done mainly through following three channels. From the Table 5, it was observed that in selling mushrooms, producer charges for packing cost 1.00. packing material cost 1.00, transportation cost 1.5, market cost 2.0, labour cost 1.00, loading and unloading charges 1.5, weighing charges 0.80, miscellaneous charges 1.2 and total cost was I0 rupees per kg. So, the net price received by the producer was Rs. I10 per kg. Producer share in consumer rupees percent is 91.66, Price spread 10, consumer paid price 120 and marketing efficiency is 11.

Channel--I:

Channel II: Producer -Village Merchant/Retailers -Consumer

Summary and Conclusion

The study concluded that the mushroom production is a viable source of income and employment for rural people in the study area and was undertaken mostly by the small and medium category farmers. Farmers were categorized into three categories: small size respondent/growers (below8000 bags), medium size respondents/growers (8000-16000) and large size growers/respondents (above 16000bags) based on production of button mushroom. The family size of small farm group is 6.95, medium is 8.74 and large is 10.2. Total literacy was 93.5 percent and were highest in small farm size followed by large and then medium and a large number have obtained the intermediate level of education. There are more respondents with primary occupation at 79,8%, followed by secondary occupation at 12% and tertiary occupation at 7.8%. There are three marketing channels found. In Channel I: The total marketing cost was 10 rupees per kg so, the net price received by the producer was Rs. 110 per kg Producer share in consumer rupees percent is 91.66. Price spread was l0, consumer paid price 120 and marketing efficiency in Channel II: The total marketing cost was 10 rupees per kg. So, the net price received by the producer was Rs, 90 per kg. Producer share in e consumer rupees percent is 72.5. Price spread 52, consumer paid price 124 and marketing efficiency is 364 Channel III: The total marketing cost is 15.7 and the Marketing efficiency was 2.65 and price spread was 45.2. It also reveals that commission agent margin is Rs 10 per kg and retailer margin is Rs. 19.5 per kg. Price paid by consumer was 120 and price received by producer was 74.80.

References

1. Chauhan SK, Sood RP. Economics of production and marketing of mushroom in Kangra district, H.P. Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 1992;6(1):44-49.
2. Deshmukh BJ, Tilenkar SN, Patil HN. Profitability of oyster mushroom production in Maharashtra state. www.extensionjournal.com Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 2001;15(2):62-67.
3. Kangotra A. Economic analysis of mushroom cultivation in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Palampur: CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya; 2011.
4. Kangotra A, Chauhan SK. Economic viability of button mushroom cultivation in Himachal Pradesh, India. Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013;48(2):134-139.
5. Kanwar LS. Economics of mushroom cultivation in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Palampur: CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya; 1986. p. 83-84.
6. Kanwar P, Kapoor A, Sharma N. Mushroom cultivation as income generating activity: women self-help group in Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Journal of Agricultural Research. 2009;35(1):100-105.
7. Khatkar RK, Rathee AK, Singh VK. Marketing of fresh mushrooms in Haryana. Agricultural Marketing. 2005;48(1):2-3.
8. Mamatha BG, Gowda SMV, Girish MR. Mushroom marketing system in Karnataka. The Bihar Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 1999;7(4):456-461.
9. Meena KN, Pant DC, Upadhyay B. Production and marketing of mushroom in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 2009;23(2):75-84.
10. Mohan J, Kaul JL. Production and marketing of mushroom in hills and plains. The Bihar Journal of Agricultural Marketing. 2002;10(2):201-210.