Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A STUDY ON PREFERRED QUALITY TRAITS IN MARKETING AND CONSUMPTION OF PIGEON PEA IN KARNATAKA STATE

Siddayya1, S. Vijayachandra Reddy and Shivanand Kammar

Abstract

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) is an important grain legume crop of dry land, which is a major nutritional source especially in Gulbarga district of Karnataka state. The present paper aims to analyze the preferred varietal attributes by the processor, retailers and the consumers. The primary data was used for the study using pre-tested structured questionnaire for the period of 2013-2014 and random sampling technique was employed for selecting 150 sample respondents during the study. The finding reveals that the retailer’s quality traits such as cleanliness, bigger grain size and better taste were found to secure top three ranks in the study area. The findings conveys that processors were more cautious about quality parameters for TS-3R variety like cleanliness, uniformity and grain bigger size which offer premium price such as Rs.1.66 per kg, Rs.1.64 per kg and Rs.1.40 per kg respectively when compared to other varieties in the study area. However, the preferred quality traits in pigeon pea Dal in both urban and rural areas of study area findings revealed that with respect to TS-3R, Maruthi and Local varieties sample respondents of rural area prefer quality traits such as better taste, bigger grain size and cleanliness were top three pigeon pea “Dal” traits whereas in the case of urban it was different apart from taste and cleanliness urban respondents prefer less gravel. Hence the study suggest that these quality traits not only increase area under production it also stimulate the marketing aspects of the all the stakeholders engaged in pigeon pea production.