Some Observations On Agricultural Marketing Problems In Venezuela

The role of the agricultural sector in the process of economic development has been a controversial issue in the postwar development literature, as well as in the policy field. In recent years there seems to be greater acceptance of more balanced approaches to development which recognize the inter-relations of the various factors, such as agriculture and industry. The argument for balanced growth strategies stresses the mutual interdependence of the agricultural and industrial sectors. Increases in agricultural output frequently require the widespread adoption of modern technologies. This involves the purchase and use of industrial products, such as fertilizers, pesticides, tools, and machines. Unless these industrial products are available at reasonable prices in the rural trading centers, farmers will be unable to modernize their operations. On the other hand, industrial employment in urban centers is necessary to generate the consumer income needed to purchase increased agricultural output. Thus the problem in this present study is to assess the role of agricultural marketing not only in terms of the problems encountered but also in terms of its contributions to the development of the agricultural sector in the Venezuelan economy.