Market research for banana crop and development of multimedia system on package of practices for banana cultivating farmers

Abstract

Banana crop is one of the major crop in Gujarat as per productivity concern Gujarat comes 2nd in India. Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Valasad, Bhavnagar, Junagadh are Banana growing district in Gujarat. Banana production for export relies on only a few varieties, which were selected for their high yields, durability in long distance transport, consistent quality and unblemished appearance. Today’s scenario due to Good quality of Banana in Gujarat a lots of foreign traders comes for imports banana from the Gujarat. Consumption of Fertilizer is huge in Banana and its make productivity. Diseases and pest occurrence is less in Banana. Pesticides help to reduce crop losses by controlling diseases and insects and thereby increase revenue for farmers. Plant needs 16 elements for batter growth and developments. Plant take C, H, O, from the air and soil and NPK from the basic fertilizer like Urea, DAP, MOP etc. but still Micronutrients like Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Bo, Al, Mo etc. Need for batter developments and yield. Two sampling methods were followed e.g. purposive sampling and snow ball sampling. Farmers were interviewed in the two districts where the different molecule for banana was used. All distributors and selected dealers who liquidate different molecule for banana were interviewed to know the market position of Rallis and which molecules and companies are dominant in market and how much farmers are spending for fungicide, pesticide and plan growth nutrients per acre to market under market potential. To find out market potential: total banana cultivated area multiply with average expenses of input application. Bayer has strong business in fungicide due to efficient dealers and distributors in Narmada district. Leading producer of carbandazime i.e. BASF captures maximum area (around 20%) for it business equivalent to syngenta in narmada district. While in vadodara district it covers area about 43% because of following three products; propaconazole, diphinoconazole, coperoxycloride. Carbofuran 3G and Phorate 10G are common molecule for controlling Nematode. 70% farmers are using Carbofuran 3G for controlling Nematode. Carbofuran 3G is concern FMC, Tata rallis are Major Player than after Annu and local companies are playing emerging roll. Area like chain in vadodara district most of farmers are using phorate 10G for nematode control. Some farmers of vadodara district are using biological practices (Neem granule) for nematode control. Banana crop is water loving crop for weed control farmers are use to spray Glyphosate 41% because of its is systemic herbicidecide it kills weed from the root and in area like chain farmers are use to spay parquet dichloride 24% because of it is contect fungicide it gives quick results but 60-70% farmers are using Glyphosate 41% for weed control and companies like Monsanto, Excel are major player because of monsento was initiator of glyphosate 41% that is why farmer uses its product more and Syngenta is well known for parquet dichloride 24%. Complex fertilizer like 12:61:0, 13:0:45, 19:19:19 are common molecule and Ranade, Subhlabh and Nagarjuna are major player. Companies like Orchem, Areis are playing major roll for micro nutrients. Orchem is doing very different way of marketing. They are direct consulting to farmers and selling them and also those who farmer are purchase orchem micronutrients they provide consultancy free of charge throughout crop life. Straight fertilizer like Calcium nitrates, Zink sulphate boron are most used molecules. Day by day boron application is increasing because boron reduces fruit cracking problem at the time when farmers want to gain good weight of banana bunch. Lokmangal, subhlabh and Nagarjuna are major player. For Tata rallis PGN sector is virgin sector for banana crop. Know the farmer’s Buying behavior, different question asked to the farmers. First question was Trend of Application of Agricultural Input. Farmer’s first preference 60 and 70 percent of farmers prefer to apply chemicals before introduction of disease because disease like sigatoka needs control as curative measure (application of fungicide before disease occurrence) and for second Preference 57 and 60 percentage of farmer believe on dealer followed by third see in neighbor field in both Vadodara and Narmada district. Second question was Reasons influencing purchasing decision. Farmer’s first Preference 43 and 46 percent farmers prefer farmers meeting as a best promotional activity than after for second choice individual visit followed by opinion leaders Demonstration and opinion leaders comes. Fourth question was campaigning best for new product launch. Farmer’s first Preference 45 and 47 percent farmers meeting followed by Video show and jeep campaigning as best activity to launch any product as per farmers views in Vadodara and Narmada district. As per analysis and my interaction with farmers I seen average farmers are spending 800 -1100 Rs /acre for controlling disease (sigatoka and collar rot), average Farmer are spending 900-1500 Rs /acre for controlling nematode and as per PGN concern farmer are spending 1500-3500 Rs /acre. Twelve districts are major Banana growing district og Gujarat and the rest right districts are new emerging area of banana majority area under drip irrigation. Banana crop is very profitable crop now days because from the last three years Banana price hick from the average 90 to 160 due export. Approximately Farmers can get RS 1.5 lacks from the one acre and total cost for one acre (including input and Labor cost) is nearly 35thousand. Farmers are not hesitating to buy a costly product for banana farming they just wants result. So for sigatoka control rallis product like argon has good chance to penetrate in market. Because Argon is costly product but it is more effective. After preparing the best recommendation of cultural practices for Banana crop. Macromedia Flash (software) player for e-extension. Through this service farmer can get knowledge himself. It is very handy to use, Even this system we can put online also, so farmers and dealers can excess. It is audio-visual and in local Language, it took hardly 14Mb. So in future we can prepare this system for all crop in all languages and burn it on 1 CD of 700 MB, it’s very cost effective and innovative way of extension because day by day computers and electronic use are increasing rapidly.