ESTABLISHING AND NETWORKING OF AGRICULTURAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE CENTRES IN INDIA (NAIP COMPONENT I) The agricultural market environment is changing

g with unprecedented speed and in very diverse ways-locally and globally. These dynamic affect farm prices and thereby farm income. The majority of the rural producers are unable to understand and interpret the market and price behavior to their advantages. Thus, the market information and intelligence are crucial to enable farmers and traders to make informed decisions. Importance of Market Information and Price Forecasting Market information can be used by those who involved in the marketing process to make better marketing decisions. The primary aim of the market information service is to increase the degree of knowledge of market participants (farmers, traders and consumers) about the market. Farmers always have to take the decisions like what crop or combination of crops to grow? When to plant? and where to sell? Traders i.e. wholesalers, retailers, importers or exporters of produces must make several marketing decisions which includes what commodity or commodities to sell? Where to sell? At what time to sell? etc. Consumers always face the problem like where to buy? What commodities to buy? In making these decisions, market information play important role for farmers, traders and consumers. Market information is also needed by policy makers and government officials to frame marketing policies. The project entitled Establishing and Networking of Agricultural Market Intelligence Centres in India has been

started under NAIP, New Delhi at following 11 centres in India with TNAU, Coimbatore as Lead Centre: 1) Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore Nadu). 2) Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh). 3) Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (Haryana). 4) Dr. Punjabarao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (Maharashtra). 5) G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pant Nagar (Uttaranchal). 6) Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh (Gujarat). 7) Kerala Agricultural University, Trichur (Kerala). 8) Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan). 9) Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab). 10) University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka). 11) University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (Karnataka). The Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre (AMIC) has been established at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh since July, 2009 to disseminate timely, comprehensive, current and future price intelligence on agricultural commodities for better scientific decision-making by farming community, traders, government officials and researchers. Groundnut, cotton, sesamum, castor, pigeonpea, blackgram, wheat, mustard, cumin and chickpea are the mandate crops selected for the Gujarat State. (Tamil

Using the real time price data, Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre forecasts the prices of major agricultural commodities in Gujarat on regular basis. The resultant outcomes were transmitted to the farmers through newspapers in Gujarati, radio, regular meetings/ trainings and voice mail SMS in the collaboration with IFFCO. This information is also posted on official website of the university i.e. www.jau.in Project Objectives: 1. Providing price forecasts during pre-sowing and pre-harvest periods of major agricultural commodities. 2. Making available product intelligence to all stakeholders. 3. Providing information on high price market to producers. 4. Improving the dissemination of market intelligence. 5. Increasing the capacity to absorbs and use such market intelligence by all stakeholders. 6. Developing commodity market outlook for selected commodity for state level. 7. Providing commodity market research report. We aim to: Help the farmers in realizing higher net price. Provide improved regional linkages in the generation, dissemination and sharing market information for better decision making. Provide improved access and use of market intelligence with better production and marketing strategies to all stakeholders in the marketing chain. Progress: At a glance Database created and updated for representative markets of mandate crops.

 A benchmark survey report of 100 farmers has been prepared to assess the impact attributable to the project at larger stages of evaluation.
Thirty seven price forecasts released for major agricultural

commodities newspapers.

and

disseminated

through

major

regional

One hundred thirty paper clippings released for maximum

dissemination to end users.

Twenty eight voice mail SMS to the 20,08,580 farmers on

board were delivered at free of cost through the Green Card mobile holders of IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Ltd., a joint venture of IFFCO with Bharti Airtel Ltd. with call back facility.
Twenty farmers and ten officers trainings were conducted

involving 1014 farmers and 437 Agricultural Officials as a part of capacity building with emphasis on utilizing market intelligence for decision making.
A chickpea price forecast impact study report has been

prepared.
Groundnut commodity report has been completed. Also,

castor and cumin commodities reports are in progress. The validity of price forecast remained on an average about 95 per cent for all the mandate crops.

Price Forecasts
Upto January 2012, the AMIC team of Department of Agricultural the state.
Sr. No. 1 Crop Groundnut Time of forecast At harvest (Nov., 2009) Forecasted price ` 560-620/ 20 kg

Economics,

Junagadh

Agricultural

University,

Junagadh has given 37 price forecasts for the 10 major crops of

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

Mustard Chickpea Groundnut Cotton Sesamum Blackgram Castor Pigeon pea Blackgram Sesamum Groundnut Wheat Chickpea Cumin Mustard Cotton Pigeon pea Castor Chickpea Wheat Cumin Mustard Cotton Groundnut Sesamum Blackgram Pigeonpea Castor Blackgram Sesamum Groundnut Cotton Wheat Chickpea Cumin Mustard

At harvest (Feb., 2010) At harvest (March, 2010) Before sowing (June, 2010) Before sowing (June, 2010) Before sowing (June, 2010) Before sowing (June, 2010) Before sowing (July, 2010) Before sowing (July, 2010) At harvest (Oct., 2010) At harvest (Nov., 2010) At harvest (Nov., 2010) Before sowing (Nov., 2010) Before sowing (Nov., 2010) Before sowing (Dec., 2010) Before sowing (Dec., 2010) At harvest (Dec., 2010) At harvest (Feb., 2011) At harvest (March, 2011) At harvest (March, 2011) At harvest (March, 2011) At harvest (March, 2011) At harvest (March, 2011) Before sowing (June, 2011) Before sowing (June, 2011) Before sowing (June, 2011) Before sowing (June, 2011) Before sowing (July, 2011) Before sowing (July, 2011) At harvest (Sept., 2011) At harvest (Sept., 2011) At harvest (Nov., 2011) At harvest (Nov., 2011) Before sowing (Nov., 2011) Before sowing (Nov., 2011) Before sowing (Nov., 2011) Before sowing (Nov., 2011)

` 2420-2480/ qtl Bold: ` 420-460/ 20 kg Small: ` 380-430/ 20 kg Bold: ` 560-630/ 20 kg Small: ` 520-580/ 20 kg ` 640-720/ 20kg ` 1000-1200/ 20 kg ` 840-900/ 20 kg ` 620-670/ 20 kg ` 720-770/ 20 kg ` 780-880/ 20kg ` 1000-1250/ 20 kg Bold: ` 560-650/ 20 kg Small: ` 520-620/ 20 kg ` 270-320/ 20 kg Bold: ` 440-540/ 20 kg Small: ` 420-500/ 20 kg ` 2400-2700/ 20 kg ` 2250-2500/ qtl. ` 775-925/ 20 kg ` 700-800/ 20 kg ` 840-1000/ 20 kg Bold: ` 500-580/ 20 kg Small: ` 440-540/ 20 kg ` 240-320/ 20 kg ` 2600-3100/ 20 kg ` 2250-2550/ qtl ` 700-900/ 20 kg Bold: ` 640-740/ 20 kg Small: ` 600-700/ 20 kg ` 1000-1200/ 20 kg ` 600-700/ 20 kg ` 600-750/ 20 kg ` 900-1100/ 20 kg ` 700-850/ 20kg ` 1050-1250/ 20 kg Bold: ` 640-760/ 20 kg Small: ` 620-720/ 20 kg ` 700-900/ 20 kg ` 240-300/ 20 kg Bold: ` 550-650/ 20 kg Small: ` 500-600/ 20 kg ` 2400-2600/ 20 kg ` 500-600/ 20 kg

The forecasted price is disseminated to the farmers through newspapers, radio, voice SMS, trainings and KVKs.

Farmers Trainings

Upto January 2012, the AMIC team of Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh has conducted 20 farmer trainings, in which 964 farmers participated. Trainin g No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Place KVK, Amreli KVK, Targhadia SSK, Junagadh KVK, Khapat FTC, Jamnagar FTC, Rajkot FTC, Amreli Malila, Chalala Sankhada, Una Sanosara Liliya Vanthali Veg. Res. Station, Junagadh Bagasara (Nana Munjiyasar) JAU, Halvad Valukad (Palitana) Moviya Patana Bhal (Vallabhipur) SSK, JAU, Junagadh FTC, Amreli Total Date 16/01/2010 22/01/2010 23/02/2010 23/03/2010 05/08/2010 26/08/2010 18/11/2010 30/12/2010 29/01/2011 01/03/2011 09/03/2011 19/03/2011 25/03/2011 23/06/2011 30/09/2011 12/10/2011 18/10/2011 12/11/2011 14/12/2011 11/01/2012 No. of farmers 50 52 50 50 50 51 50 50 54 50 52 50 50 50 55 50 50 50 50 50 1014

Officials Trainings
Upto January 2012, the AMIC team of Department of Agricultural Economics, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh has conducted 10 official trainings, in which 366 officials participated. Training No. 1 2 3 4 Place DEE, Junagadh FTC, Bhavnagar Dir. of Agri., Rajkot KVK, Amreli Date 03/08/2010 13/08/2010 03/12/2010 07/01/2011 No. of officials 31 50 54 52

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

KVK, Jamnagar DAO, Junagadh Ag. Econ., Junagadh FTC, DAO, Surendranagar JAU, Mahuva KVK, Amreli KVK, Khapat Total

17/01/2011 17/02/2011 17/03/2011 21/10/2011 12/01/2012 18/01/2012 09/02/2012

50 37 50 42 36 35 437

PMAC Review: Dr. S. S. Acharya, Chairman, Review Committee of NAIP Component-I, rated the performance and progress of this project as an Excellent during the review meeting held on 17/08/2011 at NCAP, ICAR, New Delhi.