VEGETABLE MARKETING PROBLEMS FACED BY THE FARMERS IN CHIRIRBANDAR UPAZILA UNDER DINAJPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

Farmers of Bangladesh faced multifaceted problems in vegetables marketing. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to describe the selected characteristics of farmers engaged in vegetable marketing, to determine the extent of the problems faced by the farmers and to explore the contribution of farmers selected characteristics to their extent of problems faced in vegetable marketing. Data were collected from 133 vegetable farmers using a structured interview schedule and analyzed by multiple regression. The results indicated that majority (63.9 percent) of the respondents faced medium problems followed by 20.3 and 15.8 percent had low and high marketing problems, respectively. Among eleven characteristics, vegetable cultivation experience, extension contact, use of modern communication device and knowledge on vegetable marketing had significant negative contribution to their problems faced while rest of the seven characteristics i.e., educational qualification, farm size, farm size under vegetable cultivation, annual family income, income from vegetable marketing, credit availability and duration of training had no significant contribution to their problems faced in vegetable marketing. The Problems Faced Index (PFI) showed that ‘lack of pucca road’ was ranked the most prominent problem followed by ‘road blockade due to land slide’ was ranked the second while ‘misleading information’ was ranked the last. Therefore development of better infrastructure in the form of transportation facilities, storage facilities and availability of marketing information are vital for commercialization of vegetables.