Market bottlenecks in soybean agribusiness: A stakeholder analysis in Karnataka

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important global crop, valued for its role as a source of edible oil, vegetable proteinand as a raw material in various industrial products. This study investigates the major marketing constraints faced bydifferent stakeholders, viz., farmers, wholesalers, processors and commission agents-cum-traders in Belagavi district of Karnataka, using primary data. Bailhongal and Hukkeri taluks, along with their corresponding markets, were purposivelyselected due to their prominence in soybean production and trade. Farmers were chosen through a multistage samplingtechnique, while market intermediaries were selected randomly. The study applies Garrett’s ranking method to identify andprioritize marketing bottlenecks. Among farmers, malpractices in weighing and unauthorized deductions emerged as themost significant challenge. Wholesalers and commission agents-cum-traders reported unauthorized deductions and wastageduring marketing processes as the primary constraints, affecting profitability and financial stability. For soybean processors,the limited availability of raw material during the off-season was the chief concern, impacting production continuity. Improving quality-oriented production, transport and storage facilities, along with the formation of collective farmergroups such as Commodity Interest Groups or FPOs, can help mitigate these constraints and enhance overall marketingefficiency in the soybean marketing system.