Market awareness and profitability: case study of Mango production in Karnataka, India
This article presents a case study of mango farmers in the Kolar district of Karnataka to understand the determinants of profitability and constraints faced by the horticulture industry in India in general. The mango value chain is analysed in depth to understand the market choices of farmers and the role of market intermediaries and is based on data collected from a primary survey of 131 farmers. The study uses an instrumental variable approach to model the profitability of farmers as a function of market awareness, distance from markets, farming practices, and control variables. It finds that in addition to age and education, distance to markets and farming practices are significant factors influencing the profitability of mango cultivators.