Value Chain Analysis of Safflower: A Way Forward

Abstract

Safflower is essentially a rabi season oil seed crop that grows well under the residual moisture with very limited requirement of water. This study traced the value chain of safflower in the Vikarabad district, in realization to the increased importance of safflower as a source of edible because of its nutritional status. The value chain analysis is helpful in identifying the product flow from producer to the consumers and defining the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders along the chain. Value chain of safflower is complex with various stake holders along the chain and also the product flow is also observed   through various channels. There is a lot of untapped potential for value addition in safflower, which if exploited would help all the stakeholders along the value chain by increasing the profits to them. Findings: The value chain of safflower is complex with the involvement of various stakeholders along the chain and the product flow was also observed to be through various channels. Though value addition to safflower has lot of potential but not exploited to the extent due to lack of knowledge about value added products and the complex nature of the crop.