Central Tuber Crops Research Institute Thiruvananthapuram 695 017 Kerala India Marketing of Elephant foot yam-an upcoming commercial crop in India T.Srinivas, M.Nedunchezhiyan and R.S.Misra
Introduction Commonly known as "Suran" or "Jimmikand". Traditionally cultivated on commercial scale in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala states Slowly spreading to other States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and so on. Tubers have both nutritional and medicinal value.
Introduction In northern and eastern states, local cultivars are grown. The most popular variety for commercial cultivation in India is Gajendra. Generally used as vegetable and for making pickles and indigenous ayurvedic preparations for various ailments. Highest income earner to the cultivator irrespective of the production system and temporal variations.
Statistics State Area (ha) Production (Mt) Yield (t ha -1 ) West Bengal 11,730 163,560 13.94 Kerala 11,182 279,550 25.00 Andhra Pradesh 3,439 100,829 29.32 Other states 3,000 54,000 18.00 Chattisgarh 898 8,675 9.66 Tamil Nadu 807 20,175 25.00 Bihar 408 17,883 43.83 Gujarat 350 14,400 41.14 Jharkhand 198 8,250 41.67 Total 32,012 667,323 20.85 Source: Unpublished statistics from Department of Agriculture/Horticulture of various states, 2008-09
Objectives To understand the role of various functionaries involved in the market. To identify channels of marketing. To estimate price spread in different channels of marketing. To identify the constraints in the marketing elephant foot yam, and To generate information on the end uses of tubers in different parts of the country.
Methodology Identified production centres of the crop through different surveys conducted earlier. A rapid appraisal of production centres of elephant foot yam was made to locate the important marketing places in the country. Detailed survey of identified market places was made to identify market channels and to estimate price spread in each identified channel.
Methodology Detailed market survey for elephant foot yam was made in Andhra Pradesh Kerala West Bengal Bihar Tamil Nadu New Delhi -Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari -Ernakulam and Wayanad -24 Parganas and Nadia -Samstipur, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali, and -Tirunelveli -Azadpur market Interviewed the farmers, wholesalers, middlemen/ commission agents, retailers and consumers using structured interview schedule.
Results Difference in planting time and staggered harvesting of the crop in different months and in different places enabled traders to supply throughout the year. Village agents, commission agents, wholesalers, semiwholesalers, retailers and consumers are the different market functionaries involved. No organised marketing of elephant foot yam tubers in practice. Marketing is dominated by commission agents. Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and New Delhi are the main marketing and distributing centres for elephant foot yam.
Results Grading of tubers is done by the commission agent/ trader at farm level itself according to size, marketing place and quality (infested or not) of tubers. Storage of Elephant Foot Yam tubers from February March for two to three months in anticipation of high price in the period of June-July is practiced. Traders in Bihar are practicing hedging to minimize the effects of price fluctuations.
Production and marketing centers of elephant foot yam State Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu Kerala West Bengal Bihar Gujarat Uttar Pradesh Ernakulam- Manyali Wayanad- Pulpally Malappuram- Perinthalmanna Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Begusarai Surat- Chikki Ahmedabad- Billimora Jaunpur Production Centres East Godavari West Godavari Krishna Guntur Tirunelveli Erode 24 Paraganas Nadia Marketing Centers Orissa West Bengal Tamil Nadu Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Kerala Tamil Nadu West Bengal North Eastern states Bihar and West Bengal Gujarat New Delhi Uttar Pradesh
Production and Marketing Seasons of Elephant Foot Yam Kerala State Andhra Pradesh Planting Season 1. June July (Krishna & Guntur districts) 2. November-December (East & West Godavari districts) 1.November-December (Manyali & Perinthalamanna) 2.April-May (Wayanad) Harvesting season December-March June-July June November-December Marketing center West Bengal, Orissa, Tamil Nadu Kerala and Tamil Nadu West Bengal January-March (24 Paraganas & Nadia) October-November West Bengal and North Eastern states Tamil Nadu June -July January Tamil Nadu Gujarat June-July (Surat, Ahmedabad) February - March H.P, Punjab & New Delhi Bihar March-April (Samastipur, Muzaffarpur) November-December West Bengal
Market preference for Elephant Foot Yam tuber size Size/Weight 1.5-2 kg 2 kg 2-3 kg 2-4 kg 5-6 kg 6-7 kg Market Places Hyderabad market, Mumbai Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu & Mumbai Andhra Pradesh West Bengal Kerala
Market Channels for elephant foot yam in India Farmer Village Trader/ Commission agent Primary Wholesaler Secondary Wholesaler Retailer Commission agents in other states Exports Consumer
Market channels for elephant foot yam Channel 1: Producer-Consumer Channel 2: Producer-Village Agent-Consumer Channel 3: Producer-Commission agent Primary wholesaler- Secondary wholesaler-retailer-consumer Channel 4: Producer-Commission agent in A.P-Commission agent in Other states-wholesaler-retailer- Consumer Channel 5: Producer-Commission agent-wholesaler-retailer- Consumer
Price Spread in Elephant Foot Yam Marketing in India Producer's price (Rs/kg) Marketing cost (Rs/kg) Marketing margin (Rs/kg) Consumer's price (Rs/kg) Price spread (Rs/kg) Producer's share in consumer's rupee (%) Channel 1 4.20 0.80 0 5.00 0.80 84.00 Channel 2 3.00 0.80 1.20 5.00 2.00 60.00 Channel 3 3.00 3.09 3.42 9.50 6.50 31.58 Channel 4 3.00 3.71 3.29 10.00 7.00 30.00 Channel 5 9.00 4.24 4.72 18.00 9.00 50.00
Price Spread, marketing costs and margins in marketing of elephant foot yam in india (Rs/kg) Rupees 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5 Producer's price (Rs/kg) Marketing cost (Rs/kg) Marketing margin (Rs/kg) Consumer's price (Rs/kg) Price spread (Rs/kg) Market Channel
Producer's share in consumer's rupee in different market channels of elephant foot yam marketing in India 100 Percentage 80 60 40 20 Producer's share in consumer's rupee 0 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5 Market channels
Planting April-May Harvesting- October-November Pulpally EFY Local Commission agent in Pulpally Monocrop in low lands Inter crop in Black Pepper Orchards Wholesaler in Angamaly market (November-December Planting) Wholesaler in Perinthalamanna market (January-February planting) Local Commission agent in Manyali Local Commission agent Wholesaler (Thrissur, Palakkad) Wholesaler (Coimbatore) Retailer Consumer Market channel for Elephant Foot Yam in Kerala
Price spread in elephant foot yam marketing in Kerala Farm harvest price (Rs. per kg) Weighing Charges Deductions Agent Commission (8%) from farmer Agent Commission (8%) from wholesaler Loading charges Transport charges Market cess Unloading charges Marketing cost of commission agent Commission charges of commission agent Purchase price of wholesaler /Sale price of commission agent 9 0.04 0.25 0.8 0.96 0.07 0.75 0.03 0.06 1.2 1.76 12
Price spread in elephant foot yam marketing in Kerala Weighing charges 0.05 Loading charges 0.07 Rent for shop 0.07 Transport to local market 0.05 Marketing cost of wholesaler 0.24 Marketing margin of wholesaler 1.76 Sale price of wholesaler/purchase price of Retailer 14 Rent for shop 0.07 Transport charges 0.2 Loading charges 0.07 Weight loss 0.7 Marketing cost of retailer 1.04 Marketing margin of retailer 2.96 Sale price of retailer/consumer price 18 Producers share in consumer 's Rupee 50.00 Price Spread 9 Total Marketing Cost 4.24 Total Marketing Margin 4.72
Problems in marketing of elephant foot yam Glut in the market during harvest season. Farm harvest price decreases and farmer will get less income. Tubers cannot be stored for long in Kerala due to immature harvest and in West Bengal due to peeling of outer skin while harvesting. Labour availability during harvest season is a problem. No value addition to the tubers. Commission agent exploitation is high. Farmers depend mostly on commission agents for procuring seed material as well as for selling the harvested produce.
Elephant Foot yam cultivation in Manyali, Ernakulam dt. In Kerala Elephant Foot yam cultivation in Black Pepper orchards in Wayanad district in Kerala
Storage of Elephant Foot Yam tubers for seed purpose in Wayanad dt. Elephant Foot Yam tuber stored for seed purpose Elephant Foot yam tubers yet to be harvested
Farmers selling the Elephant Foot Yam tubers directly in the Rajamundry (AP) market Elephant Foot Yam tubers collected by the commission agent Elephant Foot Yam tubers packed in gunny bags and ready for sale
Taro+Yam cultivation in Andhra Pradesh Elephant Foot Yam, Bombay Yam cultivation in Banana orchard Bombay Yam cultivation in Banana orchard
Harvesting Elephant Foot Yam in Krishna dt. Of AP Packed Elephant Foot Yam tubers for sale at Vijayawada market Growing Black gram in the Elephant Foot Yam field
Elephant Foot Yam from Gujarat sold in Azadpur market, New Delhi Weighed produce for delivery Weighing Elephant Foot Yam tubers Packed Elephant Foot Yam tubers ready for sale
Farmer himself selling in weekly markets WEST BENGAL Farmer bringing the harvested tubers to weekly market Weighing elephant foot yam tubers Elephant Foot Yam tubers Packed in bamboo baskets
Value addition in elephant foot yam Vermicelli produced from elephant foot yam