Marketing Behaviour of Cashew Farmers

Marketing of cashew nut is not properly organized. The channel consists of the producer, village merchant, wholesalers or agents and exporters. Since it is an activity restricted to only three months in a year, there are no exclusive traders for raw cashew nuts. Often there are intermediaries or wholesalers between the traders and manufactures who provide the services of information and make the deal. This has resulted in middleman playing an important role in the marketing of nuts thereby reducing the margin or dividends for the cashew farmers. The present study was aimed to find the marketing behaviour of new and old farmers of Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. The study reflected the relationship of characteristics of the cashew farmers with their marketing behaviour. The study was conducted in four villages from Panruti block of Cuddalore district. Two villages from Panruti block and four villages from Vridhachalam block of Cuddalore district farmers were selected for the purpose. The sample size consisted of 45 respondents each from old garden and new garden. Majority of the respondents had medium level of marketing behaviour. New garden respondents exhibited better marketing behaviour than the old garden respondents. Without value addition, the nuts were being sold as raw to the local traders. Cashew nuts were sold by majority of the respondents whenever there was fair price for nuts in the market. Cashew apples were sold rarely by the respondents. Before marketing majority counselled their neighbours and relatives. Only few counseled extensio