India's agricultural sector, comprising mostly small and marginal farmers, faces ongoing challenges, including restricted access to inputs, credit, and markets. Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) offer a promising collective model for addressing these issues. This study compared 150 members and 150 non-members of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu to assess the impact of FPO membership on farmer empowerment. Results indicated that FPO members had higher income, better access to resources, and stronger decision-making skills. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) showed that education, social capital, and access to resources were interconnected and vital to empowerment and well-being. To improve empowerment and income, policies should reduce membership fees and provide initial support to encourage small and marginal farmer participation in FPOs.
The present study examined the key determinants of India’s refined petroleum exports during 2002–2019 using an extended gravity model estimated through fixed-effects and random-effects panel regression techniques. The results showed that India’s GDP, partner-country GDP, trade openness of India and its trading partners, domestic population, China’s petroleum product exports, and export persistence positively and significantly influenced petroleum exports. In contrast, weighted distance, real exchange rate appreciation, foreign direct investment inflows, and international petroleum prices had significant negative effects. Institutional quality had a positive but statistically insignificant effect. The findings indicated that India’s refined petroleum export performance was driven mainly by demand conditions, trade openness, economies of scale, and strategic positioning in global energy markets. Policy priorities include stable exchange rate management, improved trade facilitation, investment in refining efficiency, and institutional strengthening to enhance export competitiveness.
This study analysed the adoption and economic impact of cold storage facilities in the fish value chain in West Bengal, India. Primary data were collected from 200 fish farmers, 40 wholesalers, 70 retailers, and 18 cold storage operators located across two major fish-producing districts. Adoption behaviour was examined using a binary logistic regression model, whereas the economic impact was assessed using propensity score matching. The results showed that cold storage users operated at a larger scale, with higher average production (6,480 kg versus 3,920 kg) and closer market access (9.6 km versus 18.4 km) than non-users. Access to institutional credit was substantially higher among users (67.4 per cent) compared to non-users (31.6 per cent). Cold storage adoption resulted in higher selling prices (?164.9/kg), greater net profits (?58.6/kg), and lower post-harvest losses (6.2 per cent). Impact estimates indicated a net profit gain of ?14.5 per kg for adopters. Overall, cold storage adoption enhanced marketing efficiency and income stability, highlighting the need for policies focused on credit access, market connectivity, and better utilisation of storage infrastructure.
This study examined the Pomegranate price trends and arrival patterns in key markets (Kangra, Dhanotu, Paonta Sahib) across Himachal Pradesh from 2007 to 2023 using monthly data. Prices rose significantly, while arrivals grew steadily. Seasonal peaks in arrivals occurred in August (118.28 per cent), September (160.94 per cent), and November (128.38 per cent) across the respective markets, whereas price surges were highest in May (110.85 per cent), March (115.14 per cent) and February (110.07 per cent). Price instability was moderate in Kangra and Paonta Sahib but high in Dhanotu; arrivals exhibited high instability in all markets. The coefficient of variation (CV)aligned with the coefficient of variation of deviations from the ideal (CDVI) for both metrics. For forecasted, optimal SARIMA Models for prices were SARIMA (2,1,1) (2,0,0)[12], SARIMA (0,1,3) (2,1,0)[12], and SARIMA (1,1,1)(2,0,1)[12],while arrivals were best predicted by SARIMA (1,1,1) (0,0,1)[12], SARIMA (0,0,4) (0,1,1)[12] with drift, and ARIMA (0,1,3). The findings can aid in understanding market dynamics and improving predictive accuracy. The findings highlighted the need to strengthen market intelligence, post-harvest infrastructure, and forecasting-based decision support systems to improve pomegranate market efficiency and stabilize farmer incomes.
The present study assessed the economic impacts of farm ponds in the semi-arid regions of Karnataka using a multistage random sampling technique. Primary data were collected from 320 farm households (160 each with and without farm ponds) during 2023-2025. The findings showed that the adoption of farm ponds increased cropping intensity from 137.1 to 157.0 per cent and raised crop yields by 14-41 per cent, due to supplemental irrigation during critical growth stages. Farm ponds generated 15 per cent higher on-farm employment and enhanced livestock ownership, while larger farm ponds enable greater crop diversification than smaller ponds. However, improper design, site unsuitability, and sedimentation constrained the performance of farm ponds. Thus, scientifically designed farm ponds enhance farm productivity, income and climate resilience in semi-arid regions.
