PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF FLOWERS IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19911488

Authors:

P. Renganathan, Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan

Keywords:

Floriculture; Production economics; Marketing efficiency; Cobb-Douglas production function; Tiruchirappalli; Tamil Nadu; Flower marketing channels; Post harvest losses

Abstract:

Indian agriculture is turning out to be a high-growth sector floriculture offering plenty of employment and export potential. The aim of the study is to analyze the production economics and marketing efficiency of flowers in Tiruchirappalli District of Tamil Nadu. The study used primary data collected from 436 flower-cultivating households in five blocks. Objectives of the study included analysis of socio-economic profile. Further, the study includes analysis of cost return structure. Also, the study includes the analysis of resource-use efficiency. It is done through cobb-douglas production function. Moreover, the study also analysed performance of marketing channel. Finally, the study is on five major flower types – jasmine (Jasminum spp.), rose (Rosa spp.), chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.), crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis) and marigold (Tagetes spp.). The Deputy Director of Horticulture, Tiruchirappalli, provided secondary data on area, production and productivity trends at the district level that are 2015 to 2025. The study finds that out of all cut flowers, jasmine generated the highest employment as 1,284 man-days/ha. Chrysanthemum gave the best output-input ratio of 1.64. Further, rose generated the highest net income of Rs. 2,13,564/ha. Two challenges that remain quite prominent in the agriculture sector are marketing inefficiency due to multi-level intermediaries and post-harvest losses of 20-35%. The study suggests investing on an infrastructure-based intervention cold chain, regulated market yards for command area drip irrigation support minimum support price for flower growers.

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