Constraints faced by the farmers in production and marketing of watermelon in Haryana and Karnataka

Abstract

The present study was based on constraints faced by the farmers in the production and marketing of watermelon. The study was carried out during 2021-22 agriculture year. For the study, 120 farmers were selected randomly from the study area. The respondent farmers from Haryana reported that, the most significant constraint was the lengthy procedures involved in obtaining subsidies followed by breakage of electricity wires from the electric poles due to rain. Whereas, major marketing constraints encountered by the respondents from Haryana were, high price fluctuations during the harvesting period. This was followed by the non-availability of minimum support price (MSP) for watermelon. Conversely in Karnataka, the most significant constraint reported was the high cost of labour. Following closely was the high cost of plant protection chemicals. The primary marketing constraints encountered by respondents from Karnataka, were high fluctuation in prices during the harvesting period. This was closely followed by the high cost of transportation from the field to the market.