Production and Value Chain Constraints: A Garrett Ranking Analysis of Aonla Cultivation

Abstract

Aonla (Emblica officinalis) cultivation is important in India because of its nutritional and economic significance; however, growers face multiple production and value-chain challenges. This study assessed these constraints among 120 farmers in Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, using Garrett’s ranking technique. A multistage purposive and random sampling procedure was used to select respondents from the Magraura and Pratapgarh Sadar blocks. The results showed that the major production constraints, ranked according to severity, were labour shortages during peak harvesting (Garrett score: 67.01), the high cost of chemical fertilisers and plant-protection chemicals (55.14), and the high incidence of insect pests and diseases (51.21). Low productivity due to irregular bearing and poor fruit set ranked fourth (48.60), inadequate access to institutional credit for orchard maintenance ranked fifth (41.13), and the non-availability of farmyard manure (FYM) and organic inputs ranked sixth (35.88). The leading value-chain constraints were market price instability and a shortage of skilled labour, ranked first and second, with scores of 63.52 and 58.03, respectively. These were followed by strict quality-compliance and food-safety requirements (56.69), the non-availability of specialised cold-storage facilities (56.07), inadequate rural transport infrastructure and high freight charges (34.39), and post-harvest losses and inefficient primary handling (30.28). These constraints limit production and marketing efficiency. Targeted interventions addressing labour availability, input affordability, market stability, quality compliance, and cold-chain infrastructure may strengthen cultivation, value addition, and processing within the regional Aonla value chain.