Smallholder farmer’s preferences for sustained participation in high –value markets for black pepper in Kerala, India

P K Smija; C D Neetha Rose; R Stephen; G S Sreekala; P P Gopinath; Y Chadar

doi:10.14719/pst.4894

Authors

P K Smija Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram 695 522, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4281-4148
C D Neetha Rose Division of Social Sciences, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala 679 306, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1553-9300
R Stephen Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala 695 522, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7493-8622
G S Sreekala Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala 695 522, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5661-048X
P P Gopinath Department of Agricultural Statistics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala 695 522, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3290-0436
Y Chadar Department of Agricultural Extension Education, College of Agriculture , Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, Thiruvananthapuram 695 522, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1078-7165

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.4894

Keywords:

High Value Markets (HVMs), logistic regression, transactional attributes, vertical integration, willingness to participate

Abstract

The sustainability concerns of the developed world together with increased tourism activities and migration have stimulated the growth and expansion of domestic and international High Value Markets (HVMs) of black pepper. This study is an attempt to identify the transactional attributes and farmer capabilities that influence the smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in black pepper HVMs and to examine the novel vertical integration mechanisms that connect them to HVMs. The study is based on primary data from randomly selected 198 smallholder farmers from eight prominent black pepper growing Agro-ecological Units (AEUs) in Kerala. The factors influencing the smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in black pepper HVMs were analysed in logistic regression framework. The trend analysis revealed the growth in black pepper cultivation area as well as export at national level, while a stagnation trend in area was observed at state level. A negative trend was observed in production as well as productivity at national and state levels. The results of percentage analysis of willingness of small holder farmers to participate in HVMs shows that 32.83% of smallholder farmers were willing to participate in black pepper HVMs . The farmer capabilities such as number of international linkages and digital literacy and transactional attributes such as asset specificity and number of verticals integrated were found to be significantly influencing smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in HVMs. The study suggest that change agents may implement interventions to enhance the existing co-ordination mechanisms by exploiting the possibilities of digitisation and digital transformation. Also, efficient measures are required to protect farmers’ rights on the asset specific resources and to mitigate unfavourable agroecological transformations that hinder the production of site-specific assets that ensures sustainable value chain for black pepper high value products.

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