Analysis of the constraints on mustard production and marketing in Gujarat's Banaskantha district

Abstract

A study on mustard constraint analysis was conducted in the 2021–2022 agricultural year. The study was carried out in the North Gujarat region's Banaskantha districts, which make up 73.70 percent of the state's total mustard acreage. Using a multistage sampling technique, taluka, villages, and sample farmers were chosen. Two Talukas—Tharad and Dhanera—were specifically chosen from the Banaskantha district. From each chosen taluka, five villages were chosen at random. Twelve farmers who grew mustard were chosen at random from each village. As a result, 120 mustard-growing farmers from 2 talukas and 10 villages were chosen for the study. Twenty market officials were randomly selected from the Dhanera and Lakhani-controlled marketplaces for this research. Additionally, ten processors from the Banaskantha district were incorporated. Primary data was collected during the Rabi season of 2021–2022, utilizing a meticulously organized and verified interview schedule. The Directorate of Horticulture, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, were the sources of secondary data. The main production obstacles that mustard farmers had to deal with were low awareness and the high expense of inputs and plant protection agents. According to the farmers, growing labor and transportation costs, together with a lack of understanding of marketing strategies, were the main marketing obstacles.