Constraints analysis on Tapioca cultivation and marketing to Sago Industries by Tribal farmers in Tamil Nadu
*1S Radhakrishnan, 2G Srinivasan and 3D Vengatesan
1*,2Department of Agricultural Economics, Annamalai University - 608002 {India} 3Department of Agricultural Extension, Annamalai University - 608002 {India} *CorrespondingAuthor Mail ID: radhaican007@gmail.com.
ABSTRACT
The tribal population in India is 84.51 million, which constitutes 8.14% of tribal population. Tuber crops are the most important food crops after cereals. India is the world tenth largest country in producing tapioca. InIndia, the cultivation of tapioca is mainlydone in Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland,Assam, etc. Tamil Nadu is the leading state. Salem district is major producer of tapioca in Tamil Nadu. Garret’s Ranking Technique was used to rank the factors that affected the marketing of tapioca in the study area. The objective of to analyze the constraints felt by tribal farmers in production of tapioca and sago factories for procurement of tapioca and marketing of sago. Price fluctuation is considered as major constraint in pethanayak- anpalayam block with a mean score of 59.53 followed by Cartel formation which has a mean score of 58.70. Price fluctuation is considered as major constraint in Gangavalli block with a mean score of 57.96 followed bymalpractices for point scale fixation which has a mean score of 56.90. Price fluctuation and exploitation of middleman were the major constraint faced by sago factories.