Objectives of the study are to examine the trends and percent growth rates for the area, production and productivity of different vegetable crops; ii) to estimate the trend for arrival and market prices of different vegetable crops; iii) to calculate the yearly arrival index for vegetables arrival in selected mandies, and iv) to judge integrated supply chain management of vegetables marketing in selected region. The study has been made on backward division of Uttar Pradesh named Jhansi division. Division comprises three districts: Jhansi, Lalitpur and Jalaun on the basis of secondary and primary information. The secondary information is collected for area, production, productivity, arrival and market prices of tomato, brinjal, potato, onion, okra, bottle gourd, torai and cauliflower in Jhansi, Lalitpur and Jalaun districts of Jhansi division. The primary information has been collected from Lalitpur district. There are six blocks in Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) viz. Bar, Birdha, Jakhoura, Madavra, Mahroni, and Talbehat. Two stage stratified random sampling method has been adopted to collect the information from vegetables growers of three blocks i.e., Mahroni, Birdha and Jakhoura. Total 114 vegetables growers categorized marginal (up to 2.5 acre land), small (> 2.5 acre land to 5 acre land) and Large (> 5 acre land) farmers, 22 middlemen (aadatiya) and 20 retailers have chosen to complete the present study.
In the selected study area vegetables growers were not grading their produce. They picked vegetables from field and make bora bandi to carry in mandi. On the other hand the middlemen and retailers were grading the purchased vegetables for earning maximum profit. Preferred transportation modes were tractors, buses and taxies. But for retail selling cycle and haththela were mostly used. Vegetables growers did not store vegetables in home and warehouse. In Lalitpur district tomato production was highest in 2009-10, it was 2821 metric ton (MT). It was due to rise in area. Lalitpur and Jhansi districts have potential to increase the productivity of tomato through better governmental support. Percent Growth Rates (PGR) informed regarding percentage change in present year compare to previous year. The total arrival indicated presence of vegetables in the different vegetable mandies and arrival index presented vegetables consistent presence in the mandies i.e., higher the index higher amount of quantity arrived in the mandies. Under the marketing chain management the channel II was found most favored channel in the study area as maximum (about 90%) quantity of produce was sold through this channel by small and large farmers. Though channel I was mostly liked by marginal farmers.
Middlemen purchased vegetables at 6 percent commission on per quintal basis from producers and sold to retailer by charging 3 percent mandishulk on per quintal basis. In Jakhoura block all the selected farm size categories and in Birdha block small and large farm size categories were sold their cent percent vegetables produce to middlemen. Middlemen also provide space to keep their produce and stay at night for farmers in mandi. At some occasions middlemen also provide credits to farmers for fulfilling their agricultural and family daily needs.
Editorial note for the special issue on ‘Advanced metaheuristics for integrated supply chain management’
