Rural Market and Agricultural Marketing

Majority of the population of Tripura lives in rural areas and is dependant on agriculture. Agricultural land constiutes only a small portion due to the undulating topography of the state. It, thus, becomes imperative that yield per hectare should be increased by all possible means. If the productivity of land is raised, there is simultaneous need for developing market centres where the farmers can dispose off their surplus produce against a fair price and purchase their daily requirements at a reasonable price. Market is essential for an overall development also. But unless the manifold problems of market and marketing in the state are not properly identified and tackled effectively, it is very difficult to think in terms of rural development. The question is whether the price leaves the rural farmers enough margins to induce them to produce more Adequate markets and effective marketing facilities in the rural areas may only be the appropriate answer to this question.

Kiran Sankar Chakraborty (b. 1960) took his Master's degree in Commerce from Calcutta University and obtained Ph.D degree from Tripura University. He is Regional Director. Indira Gandhi National Open University, Regional Centre, Agartala. Prior to joining IGNOU in 2002 he had served in different Government Degree Colleges of Tripura for more than 16 years as full time faculty. He is also a Guest Faculty in the School of Management, Tripura University. A good number of his research papers and articles have been published in many reputed journals of India. His major contributions include: Anatomy of Overtrading (2003), Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (ed.2006) Human Development-Experiences of North-East India (jointly ed.2007). and Empowerment and Status of Women in Tripura (ed. 2008).