Marketable And Marketed Surpluses Of Some Leading Crops In Bangladesh: Recent Trends And Policy Implications

In this paper, investigation has been made to analyse the marketable and marketed surpluses of leading crops viz. different varieties of rice, wheat, potato, mustard and lentil. This study suggests that marketed surplus as percentage of total production was found highest in potato (64 per cent) followed by lentil (59.5 per cent), Boro paddy (57.5 per cent), mustard (52.7 per cent), Aman paddy (48 per cent), Aus paddy (38 per cent) and wheat (14 per cent). Small farmers were the large suppliers of agricultural crops during harvest time and sell out crops to meet up their cash obligation when the prices remain low. On the other hand, they purchase the same crop at off-season to meet up their consumption requirement and at that time prices remain high. So, small farmers were worse off by this seasonal sales pattern and price variation. Large farmers received the highest prices prevailed in the market relatively with strong bargaining capacity with the market intermediaries and their pre-harvest time sales is higher than other size group of farms. This study suggested that among different explanatory variables, farmers were very much price sensitive irrespective of their farm sizes. Price elasticity of marketable surplus as estimated for Aman paddy, Boro paddy, wheat, potato and mustard appeared 1.89, 2.7, 1.23, 2.46 and 1.40, i.e. prices significantly influenced marketable surpluses of these crops. In general, marketable surpluses of crops reflect farmers well-being. So, price policy influencing output prices have important role in increasing marketable and marketed quantities. This study suggested some policy options based on research findings which should help the policy markers to adopt appropriate measures to increase marketed surplus in Bangladesh agriculture leading to a gradually commercialised agriculture.