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length of the channel. In channel III, it was observed that the farmers have to incur high
expenses towards packing material, spoilage, miscellaneous expenses and grading. In
this channel the farmer is not incurring any expense towards loading, unloading,
transportation and weighing charges. The lowest total marketing cost was obtained in
channel P-R-C where only one intermediary was involved.

The total marketing margin of the retailers was higher as compared to the market
margins earned by wholesalers and semi- wholesalers, as the retailers deal with lower
quantum of the business. Results showed that in channel I and II, the total marketing
margin was highest in Gandhinagar. This was due to the dominance of marketing
intermediaries particularly the retailers. Marketing channels I and II in Banaskantha and
Aravalli reflected lower total marketing margin because of lower consumer purchase
price.In channel III, high total marketing margin in Banaskantha and Gandhinagar shows
that being the only intermediary the retailers enjoyed high share of consumer rupee as
compared to Aravalli and Sabarkantha districts.

The price spread was very low in channel III as compared to channel I and II, since the
produce was sold directly to the retailer by the farmer. For Channel I and II, high price
spread in Gandhinagar was due to prevalence of marketing cost and marketing margin of
higher magnitude. In channel II, Low price spread in Aravalli district was due to lower
magnitude of marketing cost and marketing margin. In channel III, the price spread was
higher in Banaskantha and Gandhinagar and lower is Aravali and Sabarkantha. Higher
price spread in Banaskantha in this channel as compared to all other channels was
because of higher margin enjoyed by the retailers.

Comparing channel I and II, in Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar the
marketing efficiency of channel II was lower. This was because of one additional
intermediary i.e commission agent in channel II. Producer’s share in consumer rupee/ net
price received by the farmer inferred that the potato growing farmers were realizing
higher share of consumer rupee in channel III (F-R-C) as compared to other channels that
resulted in higher marketing efficiency of this channel.
For cold stored potato marketing three marketing were identified. These were: Channel I
(F-Cold Storage (CS) -WS-SWS-R-C), Channel II (F-CS-WS through CA-SWS-R-C) and
Channel III (F-CS-C). Out of these channels, channel I was prevalent and pre dominant in
all the five districts surveyed. Channel II was prevalent only in two districts viz.,
Banaskatha and Mehsana, whereas channel III was observed in four districts viz.,
Banaskantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar and Mehsana. During the year under study there
was very high production and the cold stores were fairly occupied even upto the
commencement of next sowing season. To benefit the farmers, the Government took

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