Farmers in India are vulnerable to price fluctuations due to price-production cobweb pattern, climatic vagaries and lack of post-harvest infrastructure. Small farmers with less than 2 ha. of land, who form the 86 percent of Indian farmers, are particularly vulnerable to these risks, often leading to distress sales. This book presents a comprehensive analysis of India’s agricultural marketing system through 14 chapters. It begins with an overview of the evolving marketing landscape and the role of agricultural commodity derivatives in price risk management. Subsequent chapters examine the market structures and efficiencies of various commodities categorized based on government intervention: regulated crops (rice, wheat, sugarcane), semi-regulated crops (maize, cotton), and non-regulated crops (turmeric, potato). For each commodity, the book evaluates spatial and temporal marketing efficiency, the value-chain structure in major producing states, and the role of commodity futures and alternative marketing channels including FPOs for better price discovery and risk management. The book also underscores the transformative potential of technology and innovation in agriculture. Case studies on agri-tech start-ups, blockchain applications, and digital trading platforms like e-NAM illustrate how these tools can enhance market access, reduce transaction costs, and improve price realization for farmers.
