SOCIO- ECONOMIC STATUS AND MARKETING SYSTEM OF BANANA CULTIVATORS IN NARSINGDI DISTRICT

Abstract

The study was conducted to identify the socio- economic status and marketing system of banana cult ivator’s associat ion between two categorical indicators of sampled respondents, marketing channel of banana in study area and examine the problems of banana producers in production and marketing by using the concerned software SPSS-21(Statistical Package for the Social Science). The data have been collected through pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire from 60 farm households. On the basis of education level, major part is primary were 40%. The average annual agricultural income estimated as 108596.49 TK. from other crops, 152631.58 TK. from livestock, 65789.47 TK. from fishery and 145357.14 TK. from others. And average annual non-agricultural income estimated as 46500.00 TK. from land rent, 106000.00 TK. from house rent, 180000.00 TK. from wage/salary and 221953.49 TK. from others. Average total land of respondent was 1.84 acres, average cultivated land was 1.64 acres and average banana cultivated area was .85 acres. There is statistically less significant relationship between education and occupation also between education and family size, farmer categories and types of banana cultivation respectively but significant relationship between farmer categories and credit excess of banana cultivators. It was estimated that average annual total cost of production of banana was TK. 372,400, while gross return and net returns per farm were Tk. 550,400and Tk. 178,000 respectively. The overall benefit cost ratio of banana farming came out to 1.48 indicating that one Taka investment resulted in a net benefit of Tk.1.48. The marketing cost for petty trader, wholesaler and retailer was Tk. 21.12, Tk.16.05 and Tk.13.50 respectively. Retailer was the last intermediary of marketing channel. They were directly involved with customer. So retailer achived higher gross margin TK 50. The marketing cost was lowest for retailer and wholesaler and their gross margin were higher than other intermediaries. So, the net margin was highest for retailer and wholesaler Tk 36.5 and 28.95 respectively. The major problem found in the study was insect and disease infestation.