Socio Economic and Constraint Analysis of Okra Farmers in Middle Gujarat

The present investigation was undertaken with a view to study the cost and return, resource use efficiency, marketing cost and price spread in production and marketing of okra in central Gujarat. A multistage stratified sampling design was used for selecting the respondents. The study covered 6 talukas, 12 villages and 120 okra growers (59 marginal, 24 small, 23 medium and 14 large) from Anand, Kheda and Vadodara districts. For studying price spread in marketing, 5 functionaries from each category of okra marketing were randomly selected from Anand, Kheda and Vadodara markets. The major analytical tools employed for the study were tabular analysis, percentage, ratios, cost concept and production function analysis. The major production, marketing and economic constraints faced by the okra growers were non-availability of fertilizer and labour in time, lack of irrigation facility, fluctuation in market price and long-distance market. Further, they also faced the problems of high cost of fertilizers, seeds and pesticides.