Abstract :
The present paper aims to analyse the behaviour of arrivals and prices of cotton in non-traditional areas of Karnataka and also the respondents operating in different channels of marketing and their efficiency measures i.e., Mysore, Davanagere, Shivamogga and Chitradurga districts were selected as non-traditional areas of Karnataka. Seasonal indices computed to study the seasonal variations in market arrivals and prices of cotton. Annual and monthly data relating to arrivals and prices were obtained from the register maintained in each APMC office. The data pertaining to annual arrivals and prices were collected for the period 1997-98 to 2011-12. The other sources consulted for the collection of relevant secondary data were the Additional Director of Agricultural Marketing and Department of Agriculture of the respective selected districts. Results revealed that, higher indices of market arrivals and prices were observed in the peak period (September to December month) and positive correlation between prices and arrivals of cotton in all the four selected markets. Farmers have been forced to sell their produce immediately after the harvest due to greater financial pressure. The marketing efficiency of different channels in marketing cotton has been worked out by Acharya’s modified method. In marketing of their cotton produce, majority of the farmers operated through channel III followed by channel II and I. Channel III was the most efficient one because marketing efficiency index was 9.34 in Davanagere market, followed by Shivamogga market with 9.25, Mysore market 8.73 and 8.48 in case of Chamarajanagar market. The low marketing efficiency was observed in case of channel I. The low marketing efficiency in channel I was on account of more number of the market intermediaries in this chain. The marketing efficiency in different channels ranged differently among different market.
Keyword :
Arrivals, Prices, Marketing efficiency, Marketing channels