A Geographical Aspect of Agricultural Marketing Through A.P.M.C. Margao Goa

Abstract

An ancestral economic activity known from the ages is agriculture. It begins from the process of planning till the agricultural produce reach in the hands of consumers leading to the occurance of agricultural marketing. These agricultural markets are promoting the farmers to cultivate and the buyers to buy agri produce. The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is one of such market that play a crucial role in agricultural marketing.
Though Goa is a small piece of land, people of Goa practice agricultural activity and APMC have been spread over eight parts of our state providing a base for sellers and buyers of agricultural produce. The study has focused on three objectives such as to understand the functioning of APMC, to focus on the role of government in promotion of APMC, to examine the prospects and problems of sellers and buyers of agricultural produce at APMC. The data has been collected through primary and secondary sources of data by collecting information through a visit at Margao APMC and interacting with sellers and buyers of agricultural produce at the APMC. This study is based on primary data and secondary data.
The methodology for the study includes choosing the topic and formulating objectives, the collection of primary data through field work and the study involves the tabulation of data cartographic techniques which includes preparation of maps, graphs and charts. Goa being a small piece of land encourages large number of people to conduct agricultural activity. Goa’s location facilitates different variety of crops. Agricultural produce is been sold in the agricultural markets. These agricultural markets acts as an area mediating buyers and sellers. APMC have spread over different parts of Goa. APMC enabled the nearby farmers and the buyers to sell and buy the agricultural produce. In Goa there are eight
APMC yards. The main yard is at Arlem-Raia Margao which is having the largest area whereas Valpoi has the lowest area. There are participants in the form of farmers and traders. Most of the farmers are of the middle age where they are the regular participants from several years. Both the farmers as well as buyers are happy with the APMC without facing any problem.
The APMC have regulated and controlled the agricultural market. It has reduced monopoly in the market and regulated the price by which the farmers earn their worth of hard work while the buyers found the agricultural produce at a reasonable rate. APMC have encouraged the farmers to cultivate because their produce have a fixed market. No cheating is been done at APMC. This type of agricultural markets are of great need for an agricultural economy to grow. The active role of government in APMC has given a wide base for agricultural market.