Marketable Surplus and Price-Spread for Maize in Hamirpur District of Himachal Pradesh

A study has been conducted on the production, marketed surplus, disposal channels, margins and price-spread for maize cultivation in the Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. A multi-stage stratified sampling technique has been used to select the sample of blocks (2), villages (10) and maize growers (120) for the year 2001-02. The study on factors affecting marketed surplus, and cost & margins in the marketing of maize has revealed that farm-level marketable surplus is comprised of 53.21 per cent of the total production. The practices of storing maize for sometime and selling at a later date for higher price have led to storage losses to the extent of 0.16 quintal (2.80% of marketable surplus). Much of the marketable surplus of maize (66.92%) was disposed of by a majority of farmers (74.56%) during the first quarter (October- December). Producer → Local trader → WS/ CA → Processor/ Consumer has been found as the main channel in the marketing of maize followed by about 71.93 per cent farmers, accounting for about 70 per cent of the produce. The producer’s share in consumer’s rupee has been estimated at 78.01 per cent in this channel.