Towards an Efficient Transport System for Productivity Growth
Agriculture Marketing is one of the most important parts of farming. Agriculture has been one of the greatest industries for several centuries. Agriculture is mainly dependent on the agricultural products that can be classified as per the four groups of macronutrients - protein, mineral substance, vegetable matter and flesh. Agriculture not only supports local economy but also plays a very crucial role in national economy.
Agriculture marketing deals with the process by which an agricultural product is moved from the field to the consumer. These services include the planning, organizing, managing, transporting and branding of agricultural products in such a manner as to meet customers, intermediaries and farmers. Marketing is an integral part of the business of agriculture. Agriculture has been one of the earliest sectors to capitalize on the benefits of new technologies and services offered by the technology. Agriculture has used new approaches and methods of communication like electronic and Internet marketing to market its products. Agriculture marketing involves the use of these new technological services to improve sales and minimize wastage of resources and efforts.
The need for efficient transport infrastructure for agricultural products is necessary because the movement of agricultural products requires time. Agriculture marketing therefore needs the development of transport infrastructure like railways, roadways, airports, seaports etc. that support the movement of goods from one place to another. Transportation of farm products requires large trucks that carry the load of the crops and implements such as tillage men, cultivators and plough men who till the land.
Automation has played an important role in the recent past in agricultural marketing. New automated systems for the storage, collection, transport and marketing of agricultural commodities have been developed. With the advent of computers, automatic count and scale programs became common place in the farms. Harvesting machines are also used in farms for the production of pulses, sugarcane, cotton, tea and coffee. The automated system helps farmers increase the volume of production. It also helps farmers in controlling the costs of production hence they can control the costs to a certain extent.
Knowledge on international marketing practices helps in promoting the export of produce from farms. It helps farmers in understanding the local and international marketing practices. Knowledge on international marketing practices helps the farmers to adopt new techniques to sell their products internationally. It also helps them to gain an understanding about the country's food export regulations. This knowledge provides them an edge in competing with other countries in the agricultural sector.
Dairy and beef producers should form a division of agricultural marketing. The division should be based on products sold. The division should be made on the basis of the prices charged on each product. It should also be based on the capacity of each producer to sell the products in a profitable price range.
A marketing research unit should be set up for each farmer. The unit should be headed by a senior official who is responsible for analyzing and implementing the strategies for farmers. The research unit should make available timely and relevant information to farmers and buyers. It should prepare reports on a regular basis to aid decision making by the farmers and buyers.
Agriculture is one of the sectors that has been able to create its own niche in the market. By using effective farm management practices, agricultural products can be marketed in an efficient transport system. This has increased the volume of sales in the agricultural sector. Achieving the above stated objectives will help in increasing the volume of sales and thereby improve the income of the farmer. An integrated rural development program along with an efficient transport system can help in enhancing the volume of sales in agriculture.
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