Marketing challenges of organic vegetable farmers: A study in Mysore district, Karnataka state, India

The present study is designed to understand the marketing challenges of organic vegetable farmers in Mysore district. The study used a multistage random sampling technique for selecting the sample of 150 farmers who are cultivating organic vegetables.The study found that the vegetable growers face various challenges like lack of technical support, unskilled manpower, sorting, grading, packaging, and storing. Due to marketing challenges,the farmers face high transportation cost, agent charges, lack of labour for assistance in the market, and high market fees. The organic vegetable growers in Mysore district rank all the challenges on marketing ranked by the organic vegetable farmers. Weighing related issues top the list. The main thing is that during marketing the middle man or third party weigh the vegetables. The farmers are facing several challenges during marketing their vegetables. The farmers are expected to fulfil the consumer preference standards, in terms of sorting, grading, packaging, branding, labelling, and certification. It was found that the farmers are unable to meet these requirements and depend on the third parties to sell their products. The study proposes the COPec model which aims at providing support to farmers with the help of the Government, social enterprises/rural enterprises, and non-government organizations.