A STUDY ON MARKETING CHANNEL, PROFITABILITY AND STORAGE FACILITY OF POTATO IN RANGPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

Present study was carried with a view to examine the channels of potato market from farmers to consumers through various stages, determine the profitability of storing potato in cold storage, estimate marketing margin factors affecting marketing margin, identify the problems and suggest measures for its improvement. This study mainly based on 110 samples, randomly selected from the study areas in Rongpur District. The sample included 56 farmers, and 16 Beparies, 8 wholesalers/Arothers, and 20 retailers and 10 samples were selected from cold storage owners. Primary data were collected during the month of September to October 2021. Secondary data were collected from publications of different institutions including BBS. The study indicates that marketable surplus of potato of the growers is around 88 percent of the total production Various intermediaries participated in the potato marketing channels were Bepari, wholesaler, Aroldher (commission agent), retailer and cold storage owner. The study revealed that local marketing channel-1l consisted of Farmer Bepari

-Wholesaler Retailer- Consumer was the most efficient. Farmers' traditional method of storing potato appears to be more economic in short term storage (three months or less) and in long duration storage in cold storage (four to nine months) was more effective. Potato storage loss was higher traditional method. It was found that the storage loss were 6.8% and 4.37% for farmers and intermediaries in traditional method, respectively. In case of cold storage method the storage loss was 2.6% for both the farmers and intermediaries. The average net margins (profit) of Beparie, wholesalers, and retailers were Tk. 29.11, Tk. 23.59, and Tk. 64.45 per quintal which was 4.64%, 3.76% and 9.95% of total investment, respectively. Among the intermediaries marketing margin was the highest in retailers and the lowest in wholesalers. To identify the factors affecting marketing margin of intermediaries, thirteen variables included in the multiple linear model which transportation cost, storage cost, wastage/damage cost, loading and unloading cost, packaging cost, commission cost, market toll cost, personal expenses cost, other marketing cost, purchase price and sale price found statistically significant. The potato farmers and intermediaries in the study area faced various types of marketing problems like low price, price fluctuation. shortage of capital, high charge of cold storage, lack of marketing facility, lack of proper grading, lack of adequate marketing information, perish ability of potato etc. Increased credit facilities, improvement of transportation facilities, providing extension services, ensuring better and incentive price policy, establishment of processing industries and increased export by taking favorable export policy would be helpful to solve the problems.