( First Circular)
29th National Conference on Agricultural Marketing
ORGANISED BY
INDIAN SOCIETY OF AGRICUTURAL MAREKTING
Near Borlaug Guest House, PJTSAU Campus, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500 030
And
MaharanaPratapUniversity of Agriculture and Technology
RajasthanCollege of Agriculture (RCA)
Department of Agricultural Economics and Management
Udaipur-313001
Date: 28th, 29th and 30th October 2015
The 29h National Conference on Agricultural Marketing of Indian Society of Agricultural Marketing will be held jointly with Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Statistics, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, ,Department of Agricultural Economics and ManagementUdaipur-313001. Dr.T.Haque, Director, Council for Social Development,New Delhi, has kindly consented to deliver the Presidential Address at the conference.
The conference will discuss the following three themes on which research papers are invited.-
ThemeI. State Interventions in the marketing of pulses, oil seeds, horticulture ,
fiber and plantation crops
Theme II.Marketing of Fish and fish products.
Theme III.Status of Reforms and New Initiatives in Improvement of Agricultural Marketing in Rajasthan: Emerging Issues
About the submission of papers for discussion at the conference.-
a.Papers should be original in their findings and prepared exclusively for the conference in accordance with the guidelines provided under each theme.
b.Papers should not exceed ten pages (strictly), typed neatly in double space on one side of A- 4 size paper.
c.Papers should bear the title below which name and addresses of the authors. All text/figures / graphs should be in black and white.
d.Two hard Copies of the paper, typed in double space, along witha soft copy in word file through CD or email should reach the Society Office at Hyderabad, positively before 21st Sept. 2015.
e. All papers should be accompanied with two copies of the summary, strictly
not more than 200 words, typed on separate sheet.
f. Only one paper will be accepted from each author, on any one of the themes.
g. Papers written within the given frame of the themes and supported by data
will only be considered for discussion at the conference.
h. Papers running beyond 10 pages, with summaries having more than 200
words, late submitted papers and papers which do not fall under the purview
of the conference themes will be summarily rejected. No correspondence will
be made on such papers.
i. Only papers presented at the Conference and recommended by the Chairmen
of the respective technical sessions, will be published, either in summary or
in full form, in the conference special issue of IJAM , within a month after the
conference.
j. Communication regarding the acceptance of the papers for discussion at the
conference will be sent to the respective senior authors during the last week
of September 2015.
k. All correspondence regarding the submission of the papers for the Conference
may be addressed to the Secretary and Managing Editor of the Society at
Hyderabad.
Details of the Conference schedule will be given in the Second Circular, which will be issued by the Organizing Secretary of the Conference, Prof.S.S. Burark, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Agril.Economics and Management, RCA., Udaipur-313003, Mob: 919414808151; 09636676500, email: , .
Guidelines for paper writers
Theme I: State Interventions in the marketing of pulses, oil seeds, horticulture ,
fiber and plantation crops
In order to impact the farm income and markets, the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India through its different departments and Indian Council of Agricultural Research have introduced several innovative approaches such as promotional schemes, technology support, tariff adjustments and financial incentives. In addition, states on their own have designed schemes to help the farmers of different crops in marketing their produce. Many such interventions are either commodity or area specific. Some of them are short lived with specific objectives, On the whole, they all have influenced the marketing mechanism and crop planning among farmers. With a strong objective to stabilize the markets and to contain the inflation, there have been many interventions such as price support operations, infrastructure development, subsidies for different marketing functions such as transport, grading, packing, storage etc. Interventions are also related to input supplies, credit, exports, processing, value chain development and e-trading, promotion of contract farming, spot exchange, futures trading, e-auctions, warehouse receipts etc. They all have extensive role in enhancing marketing efficiency of agricultural commodities on one hand and on the other increased farm returns. Public Private Partnership is an added intervention to develop markets, marketing infrastructure and value addition. Paper writers may examine the interventions in the specified commodities with reference to the following issues.-
- Area/commodity specific successful interventions
- Economic sustainability of the interventions
- Measures to make the interventions effective and successful
- Impact of the interventions on the farm economy and markets
- Role of interventions in crop diversification and market arrivals
- Interventions and role of institutions
Theme II.Marketing of Fish and fish products.
Fisheries has performed consistently over the Plan periods and it has been registered the growth rate of more than 6%. The current level of marine fish production is 3.59 million tones and almost 6 million tones are from inland resources. Production environment in both marine and inland fish sectors are deteriorating. Increases in inland fish production are attributed to area expansion. While production improvement opportunities may be limited, the quantum of fish that reaches the terminal markets can be substantially be increased provided marketing constraints both in terms of infrastructure, information as well as institutional finance is made available to ease the various blockages in the marketing channels. While marine fish enjoys a regional cum local market since most of it is consumed fresh, the marketing infrastructure as well as price bottlenecks. The average price per kilo of marine fish across varieties at landing centre was Rs.89 which indicates a 14.1% increase and a retail value of Rs.147, at increase of 18.4% in Kerala. Kerala has the highest realization of process at the landing and retail centers. Registering a growth of 18.3% and 19.4% respectively, over 2013.
The case of inland fish marketing is also fraught with multiple constraints. The farmed fish primarily from Andhra Pradesh finds it’s was to the different pockets of the country. Supplies of inland fish across the country and the prices that it commands including the quality is controlled by several actors in the marketing channel. Farm gate price is often decided not in the basis of the demand in the terminal market but more by the extent of indebtedness of the farmers to the commission agents. Quality still remains a much compromised attribute in the marketing channel of fishes in the domestic market. Quality standards are more observed in the breach than in compliance. Unethical and dangerous practices of improving the keeping quality of the fish over long distances of transportation are rampant and needs to be banned.
Shrimp is a flagship product of the Indian seafood sector. Diversification of species has further led to expansion of market both horizontally as well as vertically. L. vannamie has been successfully farmed in major parts of India where brackishwater aquaculture is practiced. Shrimps are almost exclusively export oriented. The depth and extent of the market is the function of not only composition but also of geographical penetration. Quality compliance, surrogate products and markets, non-tariff barriers and antidumping and countervailing duties play a major role in market structure, conduct and performance of seafood exports from India. International competition as well as complementary transit marketing and repackaging and sales on the high seas also influence market behavior.
The following areas or themes need to be addressed by prospective authors in the fisheries marketing
- Market structure, conduct and performance of marine and inland fishes in domestic markets.
- Intra-regional and inter-regional price movements, supply side marketing, storage and transportation catering to domestic market
- Consumer demand, product profile, branding and packaging, product and market differentiation.
- Structure conduct and performance of seafood exports from India, trends, quantum, value and unit value in seafood markets.
- Gains from trade and terms of trade in seafood exports market, price forecasting and modeling, quality and related issues.
- Scope and development of institutionalized fish marketing in India. Role of NFDB, MPEDA, NABARD and NGO’s in fish marketing. Opportunities for foreign direct investment in fish market.
Theme III. Status of Reforms & New Initiatives in Improvement of Agricultural Marketing in Rajasthan: Emerging Issues
Rajasthan is the largest state in India and occupies 10.41 percent of the country’s total area. Agriculture and allied activities contribute 21.71 per cent of Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at constant price 2004-05, while its share in GSDP is 20.27 per cent during 2013-14. Rajasthan is the largest producer of Bajra, Guar seed, Mustard, Fenugreek and second largest producer of Cumin and Isabgol. Similarly the state enjoyed the first position in wool production and second in milk production. It also produces wheat, gram, cotton, maize, sesame and many other agricultural commodities. Thus, there is an ample scope of improving marketing of agricultural commodities to provide incentives to the farmers.
The agricultural market environment is changing with unprecedented speed and in very diverse ways-globally and locally. These dynamics affect rural peasants. Increasing engagement in markets has become a reality for the vast majority of rural population. These developments pose extraordinary challenges for rural people but potentially also offer major opportunities in trade liberalization, changing market structures and new supply chains for the farmers. Majority of farmers are facing a range of constraints to achieve market success in the dynamic environment. Small and marginal farmers, traders and processors have been largely unable to take advantage of available opportunities because they face substantial obstacles in meeting market demands for quality, quantity and timelines. There is a time to produce for the market rather than for the livelihood.
An efficient and organized marketing system is necessary to enable producers to realize a fair price for their produce and to reduce their exploitation by middleman, commission agents and traders.There is a need for paradigm shift in agricultural marketing system to reduce marketing cost, wastage and marketing margins. Contract farming as an institutional mechanism is being considered as an important tool in the supply management of agricultural raw materials for the agro-processing industries as well as for organized retailing.
Rajasthan is one of the leading states in the country to bring reforms in agricultural marketing by adopting APMC Model Act in 1960s. In 2003, the new Model Act was circulated to the states. The main changes proposed in the original Act were:- (i) Break the monopoly of existing market yards by allowing market yards to be set up by private sector, farmers, farmers’ groups or cooperatives, (ii) Allow and facilitate contract farming or contract marketing and (iii) Allow direct purchases from (or sales by) the farmers, without the compulsion of bringing the produce in the market yards. In view of the fast changing market environment and diversity in production and marketing of agricultural and allied sector commodities, there is a vast scope for enhancing the efficiency in marketing of these commodities in the state. The empirical research contribution towards problems & prospects of agricultural marketing in the state are invited. The following broad aspects/issues may be considered by the researchers and planners to contribute papers for the conference.
- Impact of new APMC Model Act towards marketing efficiency
- Status of market infrastructures and investment in Rajasthan
- Status and prospects for grading and standardization of agricultural and allied sectors product
- Integration of markets (Inter- and intra-state markets)
- Role of Government agencies/ organization / institutions in promotion agricultural marketing and trade in the state
- Status of public private partnership in agricultural marketing
- Experiences of market intelligence and market information system towards marketing efficiency
- Experiences of new initiatives like contract farming, direct marketing, group marketing, cooperative marketing in Rajasthan
- Experiences of NGOs and SHGs in agricultural marketing
- Experiences of specialized markets and initiatives for highly perishable commodities like fruits and vegetables
- Marketing of livestock, organic products and spices
- Marketing of non-timber forest products
- Marketing of medicinal and aromatic products
- New initiatives in agricultural marketing such as e-auction and e-trading in Rajasthan
- Status of implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act in Rajasthan & its impacts
- Status and experiences of implementation of MSP programme and Market Intervention Scheme in Rajasthan
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Note: Paper writers may consider the postal delays while dispatching their papers and ensure that they reach the office of the Society not later than 21st September, 2015.
Please mention Phone Number along with the address of the Society, if papers/letters are sent through courier services.
Kindly adhere to the norms for submitting the papers to avoid further correspondence.
Date: 10th June,2015(T.SATYANARAYANA)
Hyderabad – 500 030 Secretary and ManagingEditor
Indian Society of Agricultural Marketing
Phone: 040-24014884, Fax:24014883
e-mail: