Marketing System of Broccoli in Selected Areas of Mymensingh District in Bangladesh

Abstract

Broccoli, a member of the cabbage family and a popular winter vegetable, is the focus of our study. We aimed to investigate the marketing system for broccoli in specific areas of Mymensingh district. We gathered data through face-to-face interviews with 100 respondents, selected using purposive sampling. Our study identified four distinct marketing channels within the region, involving various market participants such as farmers, Aratdar, wholesalers, Aratdar cum wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Furthermore, our study revealed that most farmers considered the cost of production as their primary challenge, while intermediaries cited a lack of market information as their main issue. Notably, we found that wholesalers incurred the highest marketing cost per piece of broccoli (Tk. 2.46), while retailers had the lowest cost (Tk. 1.58 per piece). Transportation costs accounted for the largest share of expenses (52.14%), with electricity bills being the smallest (0.59%). When it came to net margins, retailers emerged as the highest earners (Tk. 3.43 per piece), while wholesalers received the lowest net marketing margin (Tk. 1.66 per piece). Therefore, policymakers should consider implementing policies to address these challenges and promote overall development in the broccoli marketing system in Bangladesh, including raising awareness about broccoli consumption among the population.