Marketing in Agriculture is difficult so this issue must be in focus.

1. AGRICULTURAL
MARKETING
EXTENSION –
ISSUES AND
STRATEGIES
***
Dr R P Singh
Associate Director Extension

2. Throes and Woes of Indian Farmer
Small fragmented land holdings
Poor per hectare yield as compared to
International standards
Inferior quality produce
Market competitiveness
Poor post-harvest management
Seasonal dependence

3. Multiple products in small quantities with
heavy wastages
Selling every thing whole sale and Buying
everything in retail
Poor storage facilities
Poor bargaining power
Less marketing intelligence
Exploitation by the Commission agents

4. Constraints in Marketing of
Agricultural Products in India
 Fluctuations in agriculture Prices and Supplies
 Conflicting Interests of farmers, middlemen and
consumers
 Under utilization of Resources
 Inadequate Transportation, Communication and
Information network
 Imbalance in the spread of Internal marketing
network

5.  Improper Distribution system
 Seasonality, Perishability and Enormity of
production
 Improper Storage facilities
 Less awareness about Processing technologies
 Glut in the market
 Crop failures
 Unorganized marketing sector
 Lack of Marketing professionals

6.  Less attention on Marketing strategies in National
Agricultural Extension system
 Inadequate attention of Mass media
 Inadequate Advertisement about agricultural
produce
 Inadequate Government mechanism to control
against exploitation / under pricing
 Inadequate Packaging facilities
 No Demand forecast of Agricultural commodities
 Imbalances in Agricultural production

7. Challenges …..
 Motivate the Extension personnel to learn the
new knowledge and skills of marketing
 Make the Farmers info-rich - The market
information should provide answers to questions
like What and how much to produce, When to
produce, In what form to sell, At what price to sell,
When to sell and Where to sell
 Establishment of linkages between Agriculture
line departments and Department of Marketing

8.  Capacity building of Extension personnel and
Farmers
 Reorganization of Agricultural Extension
system
 Strengthening of Infrastructure facilities
 Minimization of Post harvest losses
 Agro climatic zone wise and Enterprise wise
generation of export oriented technologies

9. Changing Roles of Agricultural
Extension Professionals
SWOT Analysis of the market
Organisation of Farmers Groups
Supporting and Enhancing the capacities of
established Farmers Groups
Enhancing the Communication skills of farmers
Establishing the linkages between Farmers
Groups, Markets and Processing units
Advice on Product planning

10. Educating the Farming community
Encourage Direct marketing
Acquiring complete market information
Regular usage of Internet facility
Disseminating the market information through
News papers, Radio and Television
Organisation of Study tours for Farmers
Groups
Advise on improved marketing practices

11. Paradigm shifts from TOT Extension to Marketing Extension
Aspects TOT Extension Marketing Extension
PurposePurpose
End ResultEnd Result
Farmers seenFarmers seen
asas
FocusFocus
TechnologyTechnology
Contact withContact with
FarmersFarmers
Transfer of CropTransfer of Crop
technologiestechnologies
Adoption of PracticesAdoption of Practices
High ProducerHigh Producer
Seed to SeedSeed to Seed
Fixed package ofFixed package of
practicespractices
IndividualIndividual
To get optimumTo get optimum
returnsreturns
High ReturnsHigh Returns
An EntrepreneurAn Entrepreneur
Money to MoneyMoney to Money
Diverse Baskets ofDiverse Baskets of
package of practicespackage of practices
Farmers GroupsFarmers Groups

12. Aspects TOT Extension Marketing Extension
Extensionist’sExtensionist’s
InteractionInteraction
LinkagesLinkages
Extensionist’sExtensionist’s
RoleRole
RecordsRecords
MaintenanceMaintenance
IT SupportIT Support
MessagesMessages
TrainingTraining
MotivatingMotivating
RecommendationsRecommendations
R-E-FR-E-F
TOT & FeedbackTOT & Feedback
Not much importantNot much important
ProductionProduction
technologiestechnologies
Joint analysis of theJoint analysis of the
issue - Consultationissue - Consultation
R-E-F extended byR-E-F extended by
market linkagesmarket linkages
Market intelligenceMarket intelligence
Establishment ofEstablishment of
linkageslinkages
Very importantVery important
Market intelligenceMarket intelligence

13. Information to Extension System and
Farmers
Present Agricultural scenario and Land Use
pattern
Suitability of land holdings to various crops
Crops in demand in near future
Market prices of crops in demand
Credit facilities
Desired qualities of products by consumers

14. Marketing network of the local area
Price differences in various markets
Availability of Storage and Warehouse facilities
Transport facilities
Regular updating of market intelligence
Improved production technologies
Post Harvest management

15. Extension Messages…..
Auditing of Local resources and Facilities
Product knowledge and Market segmentation
Product planning
Adoption of Production practices
Harvest and Field operations
Packaging
VACs / Pack- houses
Standardization and Quality control

16. Storage and Warehousing
Transportation
General Agricultural marketing and Wholesale
Market management
Retail management
Market information
Post harvest loss reduction Aspects
Institutional linkages for Training and Research
Marketing credit


17. Stages in Promoting Agricultural
Marketing Extension
Auditing of local resources and facilities
Determining what the market wants
Understanding the marketing system
Decision making and Agreeing on an action plan
Implementing of action plan
Reviewing to identify the deviations

18. Roles and Responsibilities of Agricultural
Marketing and Extension
S.S.
NONO
ActivitiesActivities Agril.Agril.
MarketingMarketing
Agril.Agril.
ExtensionExtension
11 Product PlanningProduct Planning
a.a. Market AwarenessMarket Awareness
b.b. Price InformationPrice Information
c.c. Credit FacilitiesCredit Facilities
d.d. Networking of commodityNetworking of commodity
base potential areas withbase potential areas with
in the country & abroadin the country & abroad
e.e. Regular flow ofRegular flow of
InformationInformation
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19. S.S.
NoNo
ActivitiesActivities Agril.Agril.
MarketingMarketing
Agril.Agril.
ExtensionExtension
22 Production TechnologyProduction Technology
a.a. R & DR & D
b.b. Varietal improvementVarietal improvement
c.c. Pesticides free productionPesticides free production
d.d. Organic farmingOrganic farming
e.e. Use of Bio fertilizersUse of Bio fertilizers
f.f. Harvesting at right timeHarvesting at right time
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20. S.S.
NoNo
ActivitiesActivities Agril.Agril.
MarketingMarketing
Agril.Agril.
ExtensionExtension
33 Post harvest managementPost harvest management
a.a. ProcessingProcessing
b.b. GradingGrading
c.c. StandardizationStandardization
d.d. Infrastructure supportInfrastructure support
e.e. Value additionValue addition
f.f. PackagingPackaging
g.g. Certification of AgencyCertification of Agency
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21. S.S.
NoNo
ActivitiesActivities Agril.Agril.
MarketingMarketing
Agril.Agril.
ExtensionExtension
44 Storage and TransportStorage and Transport
a.a. Creating awareness/ creationCreating awareness/ creation
of transport facilitiesof transport facilities
b.b. Creation of Storage facilitiesCreation of Storage facilities
c.c. Networking of storageNetworking of storage
informationinformation
d.d. Govt support for creation ofGovt support for creation of
SHGs in the area ofSHGs in the area of
infrastructure developmentinfrastructure development
e.e. Credit facilities to SF & MFCredit facilities to SF & MF
f.f. Development of Export zoneDevelopment of Export zone
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22. Agricultural Marketing Extension –
A Holistic Frame work
Components of Marketing Extension Approach-
Market Risk Farmer Facilitation
To Prevent Market Risk To Manage Market
Risk
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Price Risk
Demand Risk
Quality /
Preference Risk

23. Extension Approaches…..
Product Planning Approach
Group Approach
Coordinated Approach

24. Major Strategies of Agricultural
Marketing Extension
Faithful monitoring of the Government Policies
Providing education to farmers about basic
dimensions of Agricultural marketing
Strengthening of Infrastructure facilities
Organisation of Farmers Groups
Train the farmers to make them aware of GATT
and it’s implications

25. Farmers need to be exposed to consumer needs
and preferences
Train the farmers in producing the quality
products
Establishment of linkages between Agriculture
line departments and Dept of Marketing
Intensive training to the Extension professionals
on Agricultural marketing
Reorganization of Agricultural Extension
system

26. Reduce post harvest losses
Promoting processing
Use of Cyber technology in disseminating
market intelligence
Advise on improve marketing practices
Advise on Alternate marketing

27. Indian farmers have to shift their focus
from
“Supply Driven
to
Market Driven”

28. THANK YOU