Assessing the Socioeconomic and Agronomic Effects of Pesticide Marketing in Vidarbha

Abstract

The farming industry has adopted the use of pesticides whose impact has been felt on agriculture and the economic state of the farmers. The paths taken by the marketing procedures of the pesticides makers in the Vidarbha area of Maharashtra where agricultural practices are the biggest earnings to the locals are the reasons that dictate the choices made by the farmers regarding their acquisition of pesticides and the process of crop management. This is a study of the socio-economic and agronomic effects of marketing pesticides along with its coverage of effects of branding, promotion, dealer system, and field testing on the awareness of farmers, their perception, and utilization behaviors. Primary data were collected with mixed-method- based on the form of structured questionnaires and interviewing procedures of the farmers, dealers and field representatives in the key Vidarbha regions and shedding light on the secondary data through government reports and industry magazines. These findings mean that marketing prompts a significant effect on the kind of pesticides farmers use which may affect the input prices, protective measures used against crops and their production. Successful marketing in as far as it encourages acquisition and application of modern agrochemicals among the farmers, failure or poor marketing on other occasions are associated with over application, excessive financial expenditure, and environmental problems. The interaction between marketing and socioeconomic situation and agronomic performance pointed out in the paper can be helpful to the policymakers, chemical industries producing agrochemicals and the agencies that are the extension in Agriculture to introduce the responsible use of pesticides, sustainable farming practices and increased productivity in the Vidarbha area.