Production and Marketing Constraints in Pineapple Cultivation: Evidence from Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, India

This study examined the production and marketing constraints associated with pineapple cultivation in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India. The investigation was conducted during the agricultural year 2022–23 and was based on primary data collected from 100 pineapple growers. A multi-stage purposive sampling procedure was used to select the study area and respondents, covering pineapple-growing taluks and selected villages. Data on constraints were gathered through an opinion survey using a structured, pre-tested schedule. Garrett’s ranking technique was applied to prioritise the constraints according to the perceived severity reported by respondents. The results showed that the leading production constraint was the non-availability of required planting material, followed by the high cost of planting material, scarcity of labour during peak periods and non-availability of fertiliser. Other production constraints included the high cost of plant protection chemicals, lack of technical knowledge, incidence of pests and diseases and variation in yield at the farmer level. In marketing, the absence of notification of pineapple in regulated markets ranked first, followed by high price fluctuation, lack of grading facilities and high loading and unloading costs. Lack of storage facilities, lack of processing units, irregular payment of sale proceeds and low market price were also reported. The findings indicate the need to improve input access, regulated-market arrangements, grading, storage and processing support for pineapple growers in the study area.