A Study on Conduct and Performance of Principal Regulated Market Kangra in Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A regulated market is one which aims at the elimination of the unhealthy and unscrupulous practices, reducing marketing charges and providing remunerative prices to producers/sellers in the market. The present study pertains to the principal market yard Kangra and probes into the regulatory mechanism and performance of the market. The study is based on primary and secondary data collected from 50 vegetable growers, 30 traders selected randomly from the study market and office of market committee. The performance indices of APMC Kangra with respect to implementation of various provisions of APMC Act 2005 were found to be low to moderate though the degree of competition among traders has increased over time. The pertinent marketing problems faced by producers were unfair charging of commission, nonavailability of timely market information, non-remunerative prices, lack of availability of adequate packing material and indifferent attitude of commission agents/officials towards producers. The study suggested the need for proper implementation of various provisions of APMC Act for the benefit of producers.