Market attractiveness of pineapple and banana agroforestry systems of Madhupur Sal (Shorea robusta) forest: A sustainable way of generating income and conserving forests

Abstract

The agroforestry system is an important land and resource management system for the socio-economic development of forest-dependent people. We investigate the farming attractiveness and strength of crop cultivation in the agroforestry system by applying the McKinsey analytical tool. Field-level data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The findings show that participants are young and educated, received training, and have large farming experience. Participants strongly agreed on building trust with buyers and disagreed on marketing communication for selling their produce. The McKinsey matrix analysis shows that pineapple (Ananas comosus) and banana (Musa oranta) are leading fruits cultivated in the agroforestry system, with pineapple receiving higher attention compared with banana due to greater market potential. Policies should be implemented to remove the barriers that limit pineapple and banana production and marketing and establish communications between buyers and farmers to sustain production.