Marketing strategy of vegetable products in nepal; A study of Thaha municipality of Makawanpur district

Abstract

I conducted the research study entitled Marketing Strategy of Vegetable Products in Nepal whiaims to analyze the marketing of the vegetable products and their marketing strategies in ThaMunicipality (ward 3 Tistung and ward 6 Palung). They are the major vegetable hub in Nepal. Tobjectives of this research are to analyze the agricultural production status of the farmers, to assmarket structure and marketing channels and to explore the challenges and prospects of marketof vegetable products. A quantitative dominant mixed method was used for data collection. Bothprimary and secondsources were used for the data collection purpose. Household Survey was used for quantitative dacollection, whereas Focused Group Discussion and Observation Method were employed qualitative data collection. Among the 600 total households in two wards of Thaha municipalityselected 108 households from two wards as the research sample. Mostly the 54.6 percent farmers between age group 30-45 years were involved in vegetable farmiMost of the farmers had completed lower secondary level. 58.3 percent Janajati community wefound in the study area with majority 82.4percent following Hinduism. The purpose of the vegetafarming was for both self-consumption and selling purpose. Most of the farmers (43.5 percent) haland holding more than 10Ropani. The farmers had mostly farm relating expenses for fertilizers apesticides. Major growing vegetables were potato, tomato, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, peAkabare, etc. Majority of the farmers had annual income between 1 lakh to 2 lakh. The primary mode of selling vegetables were through the middleman. The price for the vegetabl were also fixed by the middlemen. The distance of selling vegetables was within 1km. The studshowed that 55.6 percent farmers never get the updated market information. The farmers face problems like price fluctuations, untimely supply of fertilizers and pesticides, pomarket access, and lack of proper facilities, difficulty in hiring labor in the study area. From vegetafarming the quality of life of farmers has upgraded. The study comes to the conclusion that the farmers of study area are fully dependent on middlem following traditional farming practices without any trainings. The government and stake holdshould focus on long-term visions. An awareness program is urgently needed to teach proper use a handling of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Forming cooperatives, improving transportati establishing cold storage and introducing better policies will help create practical strategies to ma vegetable marketing easier and more profitable for farmers in the area.