Impact of Different Modes of Agricultural Produce Sale on Farmers' Economic Performance in Chikkaballapur District, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Digital agricultural marketing has emerged as an effective approach to improve market access and enhance farmers' economic returns. The present study assessed the impact of different modes of agricultural produce sale, namely physical (traditional), digital, and a combination of both, on farm income and selected economic indicators among farmers in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka. A multistage random sampling technique was adopted to select 120 farmers, comprising 40 respondents each from the physical, digital, and combined modes of sale. Primary data were collected during 2024–25 using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) test were employed for data analysis. The ANOVA results revealed significant differences (p < 0.001) among the three modes of sale for gross return, quantity sold, average selling price, transportation cost, retention period, and manpower required. The Tukey HSD test further indicated that farmers using digital marketing platforms achieved significantly higher gross returns, realised better selling prices, and marketed larger quantities of produce than those using physical markets. Digital marketing also resulted in lower transportation costs, shorter retention periods, and reduced manpower requirements, indicating greater marketing efficiency. Farmers adopting both physical and digital modes of sale performed better than those relying only on physical markets, although their performance was generally lower than that of exclusive digital users. The study concludes that the mode of agricultural produce sale significantly influences farmers' economic performance. Promoting digital agricultural marketing can improve market efficiency, increase farmers' incomes, and support informed marketing decisions. The findings provide useful evidence for policymakers and other stakeholders to strengthen digital agricultural marketing systems and improve farmers' economic outcomes.