Marketing and production bottlenecks in natural farming systems: A case study of zone III, Himachal Pradesh through Garrett's ranking technique

Abstract

Natural farming is gaining momentum as a sustainable agricultural practice in Himachal Pradesh. Despite its ecological advantages, farmers face significant challenges in marketing their produce. This study investigates the key marketing constraints encountered by natural farmers in Zone III of Himachal Pradesh using the Henry Garrett Ranking Technique. Primary data were collected from 300 farmers, selected from 30 panchayats across four districts-Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, and Chamba. Farmers were asked to rank 15 identified constraints, and the Garrett method was applied to derive mean scores and prioritize the issues. The results revealed that the non-availability of specialized markets was the most critical constraint (Rank I), followed by the labour-intensive nature of operations (Rank II) and unfair pricing of produce (Rank III). Other prominent constraints included higher wage rates, lack of technical knowledge, and low consumer awareness about natural farming produce. The study highlights the need for dedicated marketing infrastructure, capacity-building programs, and policy support to ensure fair market access and price realization for natural farmers.