Assessing Agricultural Input Dealers’ Constraints and Farmers’ Perception of Services Through SERVPERF Model Analysis

Background: Agricultural input dealers being localite information sources, have utmost credibility among the farming community than cosmopolite extension agencies and thus can aid in effective transfer of technologies. To make use of this potential, National Institute of Agricultural Extension and Management is also offering a Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers to turn them into para extension professionals through training and capacity building. The present study was conducted to assess the perception of farmers towards the services provided by input dealers and to study about the problems faced by the agricultural input dealers in providing agro services to the farmers. Methods: The study was carried out in Nagar Kurnool and Wanaparthy districts of Telangana state during 2020 employing random sampling method. SERVPERF model was used to assess the farmers perception towards the services of input dealers and Henry Garett’s ranking technique was used to study the problems of input dealers. Result: Medium level of perception was found among farmers and had an overall satisfactory perception towards the services provided by the input dealers (SQ – 3.504). Among various factors, they had highest perception towards tangibility followed by reliability and lowest perception towards empathy. Regarding problems faced by the input dealers, low education of the clientele and prevalence of duplicate/fake products were ranked first among technical and market related problems respectively. Under financial problems purchasing inputs on credit basis and under personal problems, over loaded work were the most complained problems. Imbalance between family and business life and Bribery by the inspection officers topped among family problems and risks and frauds categories respectively.