PESTICIDE MARKETING SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH

This study is an attempt to examine marketing system and marketing efficiency of pesticides in Bangladesh. For this study, 81 traders and 22 regional offices of company were interviewed from four greater districts in Bangladesh. Company sells pesticides through their regional office to the appointed distributors who thereby sell to either wholesaler cum retailers or retailers. Finally, wholesalers and retailers dispose of their product directly to the farmers. Distributors enjoy more facilities than other traders. Both cash and credit sale are common at all level of marketing. Generally pesticides are sold at a price lower than maximum retail price (MRP) to the farmers. Government monitoring system is not effective. The seasonal price variation arises mainly due to change in demand and this variation is less for the common used pesticides. There exist significant spatial price variation, which indicates market imperfection at all level. On an average, retailers received the highest margin or profit followed by wholesalers and distributors. The traders obtained lower profit from common pesticides of well-established company. Although total profit increases with the increase of volume of trade but it is reverse in case of per unit profit. However, return over investment is more or less same for all types of traders. Traders mentioned various problems in case of pesticides marketing