Analysis of Marketing Channels and Marketing Efficiency of Apple Growers in Kashmir (J&K), India

Analysis of marketing channel and marketing efficiency is an important tool through which one can understand the how different marketing channels and marketing intermediaries can influence the returns received by producers and price paid by consumers. The present paper discusses the marketing channels, marketing efficiency, marketing cost and marketing margin in Jammu & Kashmir through which the apple move from producer to consumer. Study reveals that channel-I in Baramulla, Channel-II in Kupwara and Shopian is popular among the farmers because most of the sample apple growers sell their produce through these channels. It has been observed that larger the number of intermediaries between producers and consumers lead to higher marketing cost and vice-versa. The analyses reveal that Channel-II has the highest marketing cost. Lower the marketing cost, higher will be the marketing efficiency and vice-versa. Further, results observes that in Jammu & Kashmir Channel-V is more efficient than any other channel because of absence of middlemen between producer and consumer.