to study the marketing of mango in Chapra District of Bihar

Introduction

India is the second largest producer of fruits after China, with a production of 44.04 million tonnes of fruits from an area of 3.72 million hectares. A large variety of fruits are grown in India, of which mango, banana, citrus, guava, grape, pineapple and apple are the major ones. Mango productivity depends on the synergistic effect of many variables, beyond the control of the farmer. Mango production depends on the rain, seasons and soil conditions, crop variety, water level, irrigation and manure use. In addition to the pesticide, fertilizers, disease control, cultivation time and harvest, farmers knowledge in farming vigorously contributes to mango cultivation. Mango is the major horticultural crop and has acquired special importance in all countries of the world. Its refined taste and its diverse qualities, places it as the King of all fruits in the world. Mango is believed as the most popular and fashionable fruit among different segment of people. This is the reason behind the people`s fondness for mangoes. Mango cultivations plays main role in creating employment and food stuff to the populace. The fruits such as apple, mango, banana, citrus, and guava are the essential fruits cultivated in India. These five fruits cover three -fourth of total fruit production in India. The major mango cultivating states are Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, theni, Thiruvallur and Vellore. Mango cultivation occupies 22% of land utilized for different fruit cultivation. In India, several fruits are cultivated nearly 3.35 million hectares and mangoes alone are cultivated nearly in 2.4 million hectares. The varieties of mango cultivated are Bangalore in 30,000 hectares, Alphonso in 4000 hectares, Sendhura in 2000 hectares, Banganapalli in 1000 hectares. The major export varieties are Bangalora, Badami, Banganapalli, Kesar, Alphonso and Dashehari. India, being largest producer of mangoes, export considerable quantities to several countries after meeting its domestic demand. Mangoes are mainly used to make cool and sweet drinks, which supports mango production. The present study focuses on Chapra District (officially known as Saran district), which is one of the agriculturally important districts of Bihar. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for a large proportion of the population in the district, and horticultural crops, particularly mango, play a vital role in enhancing farmers' income and employment opportunities. Chapra district is well known for mango cultivation due to its favorable agro-climatic conditions, such as suitable temperature, adequate rainfall, fertile alluvial soil, and availability of irrigation facilities. Mango orchards are widely spread across several blocks of the district, and mango is grown both as a commercial crop and a traditional fruit crop. Popular mango varieties cultivated in the district include Langra, Dashehari, Amrapali, and Malda, which have good demand in local as well as outside markets. Despite having significant production potential, the marketing of mango in Chapra district faces several challenges. Mango being a highly perishable commodity, requires efficient handling, storage, transportation, and timely disposal. In this context, a systematic study on the marketing of mango in Chapra district of Bihar becomes essential to understand the existing marketing structure, cost and margin distribution, price spread, and constraints faced by mango growers. The findings of such a study are expected to provide valuable insights for policy formulation, extension services, and marketing interventions aimed at improving marketing efficiency and enhancing farmers' income in the district. Objectives of the study 1. To analyze the marketable surplus and disposal pattern existing in the study area. 2. To identify and evaluate the marketing channels, marketing cost, marketing margin, and marketing efficiency of producers and consumer.

Research Methodology

The present study was conducted in Chapra District (officially known as Saran district). The district was purposively selected because mango is produced at a commercial level and plays an important role in the livelihood of farmers. Favourable agro-climatic conditions, fertile alluvial soil, and traditional mango orchards make Chapra district suitable for conducting a detailed study on mango marketing. Popularly cultivated varieties of mango in Chhapra district are Langra, Dashehari, and Malda. The district has active local markets and involvement of intermediaries such as commission agents, wholesalers, and retailers, making it suitable for studying mango marketing and supply chain efficiency. Chapra district consists of twenty development blocks. Among these, Sadar Block (Chapra Sadar) was selected purposively due to high concentration of mango orchards, a large number of mango growers and active participation of farmers in mango marketing. The block also has good connectivity to local markets and mandis, making it an important center for mango trade. Farmers in this block actively participate in different marketing channels, which provides a suitable base for analyzing marketing costs, price spread, and producer's share in the consumer's rupee.

Out of the total mango-growing villages in Sadar Block, twelve villages were selected randomly for the present study. From each village, 10 mango growers were selected, making a total sample size of 120 respondents. The selected farmers were interviewed to collect detailed information regarding mango production, marketing channels, marketing costs, price spread, producer's share in consumer's rupee, and marketing efficiency.

A list of all the mango growers was obtained from village panchayat in all selected villages. 10 percent respondents were selected randomly for study on the basis of land holding capacity.

Respondents Land Holdings Marginal Farmers

Less For the present study, primary and secondary markets were selected purposively based on their importance in mango marketing. The markets selected were Chapra Primary Market and Revelganj Market These markets play a significant role in the sale and distribution of mangoes and involve key market intermediaries such as commission agents, wholesalers, retailers, and pre-harvest contractors. A list of market functionaries operating in the selected markets was prepared with the help of market officials. From the total market functionaries, 1 per cent were selected randomly for the study to collect information related to marketing cost, margin, and price spread. For the study both Primary and Secondary data was collected from different source. Primary data were collected from selected mango growers and market functionaries using the survey method. A wellstructured and pre-tested questionnaire and schedule was used to collect information related to:

• Socio-economic characteristics of mango growers • Marketing channels of mango For calculating Chi-square, the formula is:

where, Oi = observed value (actual value) and Ei = expected value Marketing Margin: A marketing margin is similar to a profit margin in that it shows the relationship between the amount a company pays for a product and the amount its customers pay. However, while marketing margin is the difference between cost to the seller and the cost to the consumer, profit margin is the percentage of the final sale price that comes as profit for the seller.

Absolute

Results and Discussion

In the present study, data analysis shows the following results: Altogether, three marketing channels were identified in the study area. The various marketing channels, their corresponding marketing cost, marketing margin, price spread, producer's share in consumer's rupee and marketing efficiency are discussed as under.

Channel 1 Cost incurred by the producer a.

Packing material cost 21 c.

Loading and unloading cost 50 e.

Miscellaneous charges 60 3.

Sale price of producer/Purchase price of commission agent 2578 5.

Cost incurred by the commission agent a.

Loading, Unloading and repacking cost 55 b.

Margin of commission agent 155 8.

Sale price of commission agent/Purchase price of wholesaler 2830 9.

Cost incurred by the wholesaler a.

Loading, unloading and repacking charges 73 b.

Grading and sorting charges 62 c.

Spoilage and Losses 53 10.

Margin of wholesaler 192 12.

Sale price of wholesaler/purchase price of retailer 3210 13.

Cost incurred by the Retailer a.

Loading and unloading charges 37 b.

Carriage Net price received by producer 4500 2.

Cost incurred by the producer a.

Packing material cost 21 c.

Loading and unloading charges 50 e.

Miscellaneous charges 60 3.

Sale price of producer/Purchase price of commission agent 4678 5.

Cost incurred by the commission agent a.

Loading, unloading and repacking cost 55 b.

Margin of commission agent 175 8.

Sale price of commission agent/purchase price of retailer 4950 9.

Cost incurred by the Retailer a.

Summary and Conclusion

The study revealed that a majority of the respondents were marginal farmers (75%), followed by small farmers (13%), medium farmers (8%), and large farmers (4%). This indicates that mango cultivation in the study area is largely dominated by small and marginal farmers.

The literacy status revealed that 26 per cent of the growers were illiterate, while 21 per cent were literate without formal education. About 20 per cent had primary education, 9 per cent had junior high school education, 13 per cent had completed high school, 8 per cent had intermediate education, and only 3 per cent were graduates. This shows a relatively low level of higher education among mango growers.

The analysis of marketing efficiency revealed that Marketing efficiency of Channel I (conventional method) was 20.21, Marketing efficiency of Channel II was 3.18 and that of Channel III was 6.36. The total marketing price was found to be highest in Channel II, whereas the maximum net price received by farmers was observed in Channel III, indicating better returns to farmers through this channel.

It can be concluded from the present study entitled that mango cultivation and marketing play an important role in the agricultural economy of the district. The study revealed that about 40 per cent of the sample farmers belonged to medium and large farmer categories, indicating that a considerable proportion of growers are in a position to adopt improved production and marketing practices. This is a positive indication for the development of the horticulture and input sectors in the study area.

The study further revealed that price fluctuations in mango are very high during the year, which significantly affects the profitability of mango growers. Due to these fluctuations, traders and intermediaries tend to gain more, while farmers receive a lower share of the consumer's rupee. The role of traders is dominant in mango marketing, resulting in reduced bargaining power for farmers and limiting their ability to realize remunerative prices for their produce. The absence of value addition activities such as cleaning, grading, proper packaging, and branding in Channel I has adversely affected the quality perception of mangoes and reduced farmers' income. Poor post-harvest handling practices related to taste preservation, colour maintenance, cleaning, grading, and packaging have also discouraged processors during open auction processes, leading to lower prices.

Although farmers showed a clear preference for Marketing Channel II due to better price realization, inadequate postharvest infrastructure and handling practices have limited their ability to fully benefit from this channel.

Suggestion for the Marketing of Mango

Organic cultivation was strongly recommended as it can significantly increase income per hectare. As there is

Acknowledgement

www.extensionjournal.com growing domestic and international demand for organic mangoes. The adoption of new high-yielding and pestresistant mango varieties can play a vital role in increasing productivity and reducing losses. Access to technical guidance, quality inputs, institutional credit, transportation facilities, and timely market information is crucial. Interaction between mango growers and the Department of Horticulture should be strengthened, and growers should be encouraged to seek expert advice regularly.

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