The agricultural situation in India has undergone a rapid change after independence. Investment in the agricultural sector both public and private, has risen with the result that agricultural production at national level has achieved a better growth rate as compared with other developed countries. Now-a-days there is primarily a need to accelerate the growth rate and minimize the fluctuations in agricultural production. The production is responsive to process being offered for agricultural produce and availability of inputs and machinery in the open market. On the other hand consumers also have a right to expect availability of goods at reasonable prices and as per their choice. For achieving these apparently conflicting objective, agricultural marketing system plays pivotal role. To satisfy the production requirements as well as consumer needs and satisfaction, the role of various sections of society farmers, labourers, traders, consumers, processors, researchers, sociologists, administrators, planners affects the system and structure. Hence the marketing in agricultural sector need to be given a major thrust and be taken as top priority on the nation’s agenda. It is not very difficult to produce a commodity, much more difficult is to market it satisfactorily, so as to ensure that the farmers long labour is compensated properly (remunerative prices and timely payments).
An efficient marketing system is that which minimizes the costs (especially of handling), provides quality product and satisfies the consumer requirements which keep on changing from time to time. This can be best achieved when the middle functionaries between producer and consumer are reduced. In these days, the availability of quality and variety produce in the market and reduction of handing costs be given a major thrust, otherwise, one cannot compete at international level, resulting in collapse of agricultural system at any movement.
The marketing of agricultural produce is a big challenge these days for the economic viability of the farmers due to the era of liberalization. In this sector, providing basic infrastructure for wholesale and retail markets is the major challenge besides motivating farmers to produce more with quality as well ensuring them for remunerative prices of their produces. The Governments at the State level intervened actively to frame and amend suitably agricultural marketing Laws for creating a self-sustaining system for the marketing of agricultural produce by which sale and purchase of agricultural produce is to be regulated and the required marketing infrastructure are to be provided.