EXPLORATION OF MARKETING PROBLEMS OF POTATO FARMERS IN TETULIA UPAZILA UNDER PANCHAGARH DISTRICT

Abstract

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of Bangladesh. Potato production has increased rapidly in Bangladesh over the past two decades, but continued growth is constrained by marketing imperfections. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent of marketing problems faced by the potato growers. Besides, attempt was made to estimate the contribution of the selected characteristics of the potato growers to their marketing problems. The study was conducted at Tetulia upazila under Panchagarh district. Data were collected from randomly selected 114 potato farmers by using an interview schedule. Majority (51.8%) of the potato farmers faced high marketing problems of potato, while 48.2 percent had medium marketing problems. Multiple regression method was administered and 10 independent variables namely: age, education, annual income, organizational participation, investment in potato cultivation, land under potato cultivation, use of post harvest practices in potato cultivation, farm to market distance, storage facilities, and accessibility of marketing information were fitted together in enter multiple regression analysis. Multiple regression exposed that among the selected characteristics, education, annual family income, use of post harvest practices in potato cultivation, storage facilities and accessibility to market information were negatively significant and age and farm to market distance were positively significant and combinedly provided 51.80 percent contribution to marketing problems of potato while organizational participation, investment in potato cultivation and land under potato cultivation were insignificant contribution to their marketing problems of potato.