Soybean (Glycine max L.) has emerged as a highly versatile crop, with significant economic and agricultural value. The present study aims to explore the economics and marketing pattern of soybean cultivation in the Dharwad district of Karnataka, focusing on the Dharwad and Kalaghatgi taluks for the year 2022-23. Primary data for this investigation was collected from 90 respondents, which includes 30 small and medium farmers, 30 large farmers and 30 market intermediaries. The cost of cultivation incurred by large farmers was higher (₹ 51,799/acre) than small and medium farmers (₹ 44,208/acre). Returns per rupee of expenditure including marketing cost realised were 1.21 for large farmers and 1.18 for small and medium farmers. Among the three marketing channels studied, Channel I (Producer-Processor) demonstrated the highest efficiency with a marketing efficiency score of 17.71 and a producer’s share of 94.64%, outperforming Channel II and Channel III. Majority of farmers sell their produce directly to processors, prefer this efficient, intermediary-free approach. The findings suggest that adopting direct marketing channels can improve overall efficiency and increase returns for both producers and consumers.
Habib et al. (2025) studied this question.