A STUDY ON CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF VERMICOMPOST IN CHITRAKOOT, DISTRICT OF UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract: This study explores how wheat farmers buy and use vermicompost in Manikpur block, Chitrakoot District, Uttar Pradesh, for the agricultural year 2025–26. As sustainable farming grows across India, understanding consumer habits, supply chains, and market constraints becomes essential for agribusiness development. Using a multi-stage stratified random sampling technique, we interviewed 100 wheat farmers alongside local retailers and producers. Socio-economic profiling shows a sector heavily dominated by marginal operators, with 70% owning under one hectare of land. Demographically, half of the surveyed farmers are 51 years or older, 80% are male, and 30% have completed high school education. Currently, 60% of respondents actively use vermicompost for their crops. Likert scale analysis reveals that improving soil quality is the primary purchase motivator (Mean 4.67), closely followed by boosting overall wheat yield (Mean 4.37). Economically, the study evaluates two primary supply chains: direct sales (Channel I) and retail-mediated distribution (Channel II). Direct sales from producer to consumer prove significantly more profitable and efficient, achieving a 148.9% marketing efficiency rate. Channel I successfully limits the price spread to 40%, allowing producers to pocket a net price of ₹688 per quintal against a consumer price of ₹1,150. In contrast, introducing middle-tier retailers expands the price spread and increases overall marketing costs. Ultimately, shortening the supply chain maximizes profits for organic manufacturers while ensuring affordable access for smallholders, proving that local, direct-to-farmer models are vital for scaling sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: Vermicompost, Marketing efficiency, Consumer behaviour, Price spread, Sustainable agriculture

Author: Neha Pandey and Nitin Barker

Reference: Yadav, A., Goyal, S., and Kaushik, P. (2018). Nutrient dynamics and crop growth response to vermicompost application in different crops. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 18(2): 518–531. (p. 5) Singh, A., Tiwari, R., Chandrahas, and Dutt, T. (2021). Augmentation of farmers’ income in India through sustainable waste management techniques. Waste Management & Research. 39(6): 849–859. (p. 5) Garg, P. and Gupta, A. (2016). Vermicomposting: A sustainable approach to organic waste management. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 5(7): 556–569. (p. 5) Kumar, R., Bhattacharya, S., and Yadav, K. K. (2020). Vermicomposting: An eco-friendly approach for nutrient recycling and sustainable agriculture. In Biomanagement of Metal-Contaminated Soils. Springer: 355–378. (p. 6) Raut, S. A. and Swamy, M. K. (2021). Consumers' buying behavior towards vermicompost in India. Journal of Consumer Marketing. 38(2): 169–179. (p. 6) Dhaka, S. K. and Singh, S. K. (2021). Factors influencing consumers' buying behavior of vermicompost: Evidence from home gardening. Journal of Consumer Behaviour. 20(3): 318–328. (p. 6) D'Souza, C. and Cyphers, M. (2020). Understanding consumers' willingness to pay for vermicompost. Journal of Environmental Management. 266: 110–570. (p. 6) Singh, A., Kumar, R., Kumar, R., and Singh, R. K. (2017). Vermicomposting: A promising technology for the management of organic solid waste. International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture. 6(3): 225–238. (p. 6) Sharma, K. and Garg, V. K. (2018). Comparative analysis of vermicompost quality produced from rice straw and paper waste employing earthworm Eisenia fetida (Sav.). Bioresource Technology. 250: 708–715. (p. 6) Dey, M., Mohilal, N. and Mongjam, S. (2019). Effect of compost and vermicompost prepared from different biodegradable wastes on the growth of king chilli Capsicum chinense. International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences. 9(2): 74–82. (p. 6)