Study on supply chain management of vegetable pea in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh

Introduction

Vegetable pea (Pisum sativum) is one of the most important cool-season vegetable crops grown widely in India due to its high nutritional value, short duration, and good market demand. It is a rich source of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins (especially vitamin C and vitamin K), and essential minerals, making it an important component of a balanced diet. Because of its versatility in culinary use-both as a fresh vegetable and in processed and frozen formsvegetable pea has gained significant popularity among consumers in urban and rural areas. In recent years, pea cultivation has also emerged as an economically viable enterprise for farmers, particularly in regions where irrigation facilities and suitable climatic conditions are available. India ranks among the major producers ofvegetable pea, with states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Bihar contributing significantly to its production.In Uttar Pradesh, vegetable pea plays an important role in agricultural diversification and income generation for small and marginal farmers. The state benefits from favorable agro-climatic conditions during the rabi season, which support good yield and quality production. Prayagraj district, in particular, has shown considerable growth in vegetable pea cultivation due to increasing demand from urban consumers, hotels, restaurants, and local vegetable markets. Farmers in the district cultivate pea as a cash crop because of its short growing period and quick returns. However, despite its www.extensionjournal.com economic importance, pea growers face several challenges related to supply chain management, which affect profitability and market competitiveness.The supply chain of vegetable pea involves a series of interlinked activities such as production, harvesting, grading, packaging, storage, transportation, wholesaling, retailing, and final consumption. Being a highly perishable vegetable, pea requires efficient handling and timely movement from farm to market to minimize post-harvest losses. The supply chain generally includes multiple stakeholders such as farmers, village traders, commission agents, wholesalers, retailers, and institutional buyers. In many cases, the produce is packed in sacks or crates and transported quickly to nearby markets to maintain freshness and reduce spoilage. Inefficiencies in any stage of this chain can significantly affect price realization and product quality.The present study titled "A Study on Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh" aims to examine the existing supply chain structure and functioning of vegetable pea in the study area. The study focuses on analyzing the socio-economic characteristics of vegetable pea growers, including age, education level, landholding size, farming experience, income level, access to credit, and training exposure. These factors play a crucial role in determining farmers' participation in the market, adoption of improved post-harvest practices, and access to organized supply chain systems. The study also explores how these socio-economic variables influence decisionmaking and efficiency in supply chain operations.Further, the study evaluates different supply chain channels, marketing costs, price spread, and profit margins associated with vegetable pea marketing in Prayagraj district. It highlights key constraints such as lack of proper cold storage facilities, inadequate grading and packaging systems, transportation bottlenecks, price fluctuations, dependency on intermediaries, and high post-harvest losses. The role of various stakeholders including farmers, aggregators, wholesalers, retailers, and institutional buyers is also assessed to understand their contribution to the overall supply chain efficiency. By identifying gaps and inefficiencies in the existing system, the study aims to suggest suitable measures for strengthening supply chain infrastructure, reducing wastage, improving price realization for farmers, enhancing market linkages, and promoting a more efficient and sustainable vegetable pea supply chain in Prayagraj district.

Objectives

Research Methodology Sampling Design

For the present study titled "A Study on Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh", a multistage sampling design was adopted to select respondents. At the first stage, Prayagraj district was selected purposively due to the importance of vegetable pea cultivation and marketing in the area. At the second stage, blocks with higher concentration of pea production were selected, followed by random selection of villages at the third stage. At the final stage, vegetable pea growers and key stakeholders such as wholesalers, retailers, commission agents, traders, and consumers were selected as respondents. This sampling design was used to obtain representative data for analyzing supply chain structure, marketing channels, price spread, efficiency, and constraints in the study area.

Selection of District

selected purposively due to its significant contribution to vegetable production, particularly vegetable pea (Pisum sativum). • Significant cultivation of vegetable pea • Favorable agro-climatic conditions • Availability of irrigation facilities • Proximity to major markets like Prayagraj city A large number of farmers in the district are engaged in vegetable cultivation and supply their produce to nearby urban markets such as Varanasi, Lucknow, and local mandis within the district. The presence of fertile alluvial soil, favorable climatic conditions, and irrigation facilities makes the district suitable for vegetable pea cultivation and supply chain analysis.

Selection of Blocks

Prayagraj district comprises several blocks such as Meja, Karchhana, Phulpur, Soraon, Jasra, and Bahadurpur. Out of these, two blocks were selected purposively based on the higher area under vegetable cultivation, particularly vegetable pea. Selected Blocks: • Meja Block -Known for vegetable production and active participation in local markets These blocks were selected due to the higher concentration of vegetable pea growers and better representation of production and marketing practices.

Selection of Villages

A list of villages cultivating vegetable pea in the selected blocks was obtained from the District Agriculture and Horticulture Department. From the total villages, eight villages were selected randomly for the study, namely Meja Khas, Sirsa, Kanti, Karchhana, Basahara, Dighiya, Ghoorpur, and Jasra. From each selected village, 15 vegetable pea growers were chosen randomly, making a total sample size of 120 respondents. These respondents were selected for detailed investigation regarding production practices, marketing channels, marketing costs, price spread, and marketing efficiency in the study area.

Selection of Respondents/Farmers

A list of all vegetable pea growers in the selected villages was obtained from the District Agriculture Office. From this list, 120 farmers were selected randomly for the study. The selected farmers were categorized into different groups based on their size of landholding. This classification helped in analyzing differences in production practices, marketing channels, costs, and profitability among different categories of farmers.

Sr.no Type of farmers

Analysis of data/ analytical tools used

The present study titled "A Study on Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh" was based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected from vegetable pea growers, village traders, wholesalers, retailers, commission agents, transporters, and other stakeholders involved in the supply chain system, while secondary data were obtained from published reports, records of the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, research studies, and relevant literature.

The collected data were systematically compiled, tabulated, and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools such as averages, percentages, and ratios. For examining the supply chain management of vegetable pea, indicators such as supply chain channels, marketing costs, price spread, transportation facilities, storage and handling practices, market margins, supply chain efficiency, and constraints faced by vegetable pea growers were used to evaluate the performance of the supply chain system in the study area.

Analytical techniques employed

2) Marketing Cost

The total cost, incurred on marketing either in cash or in kind by the producer seller and by the various intermediaries involved in the sale and purchase of the commodity reaches the ultimate consumer.

3) Price spread

Price spread is defined as the difference between the price paid by the consumer and the net price received by producer for an equivalent quantity of farm produce.

4) Marketing Efficiency

The ratio of price paid by the consumer's (total value of goods) to total marketing cost is used as a measure of marketing efficiency.

Where, ME = Marketing efficiency www.extensionjournal.com

Results and Discussion

The socio-economic characteristics of vegetable pea growers play an important role in influencing production practices, supply chain participation, and income generation. Factors such as age, education, family size, farming experience, landholding size, and investment capacity significantly affect the cultivation, marketing decisions, and adoption of improved supply chain practices in vegetable pea farming. Therefore, the present study on "A Study on Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh" examined the socio-economic profile of respondents to understand their role in production, marketing behaviour, and efficiency of the supply chain system in the study area. Producer's share and marketing efficiency decline with longer marketing channels. Direct marketing (Channel I) is the most efficient and beneficial for farmers.

Socio-Economic Profile of Sample Respondents (n = 120)

Particulars

Conclusion

The present study on "Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh" found that most farmers were marginal and small holders with middle-age and secondary education, and vegetable pea cultivation was an important source of income. Three main marketing channels were identified, where direct marketing provided the highest producer's share and efficiency, while longer channels increased marketing cost, price spread, and www.extensionjournal.com reduced farmers' returns. Post-harvest losses were higher among marginal farmers due to poor storage, grading, and transport facilities. Major constraints included price fluctuation, high transportation cost, lack of cold storage, middlemen exploitation, and inadequate market information.

The study concludes that shorter supply chains are more efficient and profitable, and suggests policy measures such as development of cold storage, better transport facilities, promotion of direct marketing and FPOs, improved market information systems, training of farmers, value addition, and price stabilization to enhance efficiency and increase farmers' income in the region.

Summary

The present study on "Supply Chain Management of Vegetable Pea in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh" revealed that most respondents were marginal and small farmers with medium family size and secondary-level education. Vegetable pea cultivation was an important income source, with three main marketing channels identified, of which Channel II was most commonly used. Marketing costs, price spread, and intermediary margins increased with longer channels, while producer's share and marketing efficiency were highest in direct marketing (Channel I) and lowest in Channel III. Post-harvest losses were higher among marginal farmers due to poor storage and handling facilities. Major constraints included price fluctuations, high transportation costs, lack of cold storage, middlemen exploitation, and inadequate market information.

Overall, the study concluded that shorter supply chains are more efficient and profitable, and improvements in infrastructure and market support are essential to enhance farmer income and reduce losses.

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