MARKETING MARGIN ANALYSIS OF POTATO VALUE CHAIN ACTORS IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF JAMALPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

Potato contributes significantly to the food security and income of Bangladeshi farmers. It is a valuable vegetable both commercially and nutritionally in the world, as well as in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the potato value chain is not well organized. The study was carried out to Assess marketing margin of value chain actors in a selected area of Bangladesh's Jamalpur district. It’s an attempt to assess the existing potato value chain with the help of primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from the potato growing area of Dewanganj and Bakhshiganj upazila of Jamalpur district. Potato value chain actors were selected from both the upazilas. Fifty farmers, twenty traders, twenty consumers, and one cold storage owner were selected through simple random sampling, purposive sampling, and simple random sampling procedures, respectively. Simple descriptive methods were used to analyze the data. The primary data were collected through the direct interview method with the help of pretested questionnaires during the month of July 2022 to January 2023. In the production and marketing system of potatoes, many value chain actors were involved such as farmers, wholesalers, retailers, and cold storage owners. Marketing of potato produced in both Upazila was moved from the hands of producers to the hands of consumers through four separate chains. This study shows that highest sales price per 100kg of potato received by retailer of dewanganj and Bakhsiganj was Tk.2100.00 and Tk. 2050 respectively and the lowest sales price was received by farmer dewanganj and Bakhsiganj Tk.1400.00 and Tk. 1350.00. Additionally, value addition in Dewanganj Upazila by the farmer, retailer and wholesaler was 32.64%, 20.00% and 25.00% respectively and value addition in Bakhshiganj Upazila by the farmer, retailer and wholesaler was 31.32%, 17.14% and 29.63% respectively. The current study discovered some weaknesses in the existing potato production and marketing system. Potato growers did not receive a fair price due to a lack of economic storage facilities, the presence of stronger middlemen, inefficient transportation facilities, a lack of proper marketing information, and the farmers' urgent need for money immediately following the potato harvesting period. Based on the findings of the current study, it was recommended that institutional credit, timely input supply, the use of modern production and postharvest technologies, and price stability be ensured, in addition to the provision of storage, transport, and market facilities.