AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

INTRODUCTION

India has now entered a new era of globalisation and economic liberalization.  The possibilities of increased trade in the global markets demand that the country becomes efficient, competitive and innovative both in production and marketing.  It is time that we stopped being preoccupied only with increasing production: attention to marketing is equally important. In fact, it is worth remembering that marketing is as critical an input for production as are seeds, irrigation, fertilizer, etc.

The agricultural marketing scenario in the country is fast changing and will need to be restructured and reoriented to fully meet the need arising from the globalization process. The areas where new initiatives and measures are required need to be identified and attended to. Much smaller countries, by adopting strong and effective marketing strategies, have been able to export to competitive areas and thus have not only strengthened their economic position but have also contributed to the general welfare of the farming community of these ;countries.  India needs to emulate such countries and adopt effective and aggressive marketing policies so lt has its export of agricultural commodities is enhanced.

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING IN INDIA

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian economy and represents one- third of the country’GDP.  During the last four decades, it received a very high priority.  There are 35 agro-climatic regions in the country with wide variations in agricultural production patterns and practices. The application of scientific techniques, coupled with government policies and programmes in the agricultural sector, has helped in increasing the production of several commodities including food-grains and the resultant marketable surplus has touched new heights, transforming Indian agriculture from subsistence to a near commercial enterprise.  The production of food-grains during 1994-95 is expected to touch an all-time high of 185 million tonnes, which are 3 million tones more than the production during the previous year.  Food-grains production during 1965-66 was a mere 72 million tonnes.  Sugarcane production is likely to it is to 245 million tonnes in 1994-95 against 233 million tonnes in 1993-94 compared to 120 million tonnes in 1965-66. Production of oil-seeds almost tripled from 6.35 million tonnes in 1965-66 to 19.2 million tonnes in 1992-93.  Production of kharif oil-seeds alone was estimated at 12 million tonnes during 1993-94.  Production increase in the case of fibres such as cotton, jute and Mesta was also witnessed.  So also in the case of fruits and vegetables.

Agricultural marketing is broadly concerned with developing new products to satisfy emerging needs of the consumers and to capitalize on newly identified market opportunities. It also includes reappraising and modifying existing products in the perspective of changing requirements of the modern society.

Dehydrated Products

Drying (dehydrating) food is one of the oldest and easiest methods of food preservation. Dehydration is the process of removing water or moisture from a food product. Removing moisture from foods makes them smaller and lighter. Dehydrated foods are ideal for backpacking, hiking, and camping because they weigh much less than their non-dried counterparts and do not require refrigeration. Drying food is also a way of preserving seasonal foods for later use.

How dehydration preserves foods

Foods can be spoiled by food microorganisms or through enzymatic reactions within the food. Bacteria, yeast, and molds must have a sufficient amount of moisture around them to grow and cause spoilage. Reducing the moisture content of food prevents the growth of these spoilage-causing microorganisms and slows down enzymatic reactions that take place within food. The combination of these events helps to prevent spoilage in dried food.

The basics of food dehydration

Three things are needed to successfully dry food at home: Heat — hot enough to force out moisture (140°F), but not hot enough to cook the food; Dry air — to absorb the released moisture; Air movement — to carry the moisture away.

Dehydrated Onion

Need GOOD Ventilation! – and Super Easy Veggie to Dehydrate! Dehydrated white onion 570 Dehydrating onions can be a tearful job, and please run your range hood vent (if you have one) and place your dehydrator as close to it as possible ... that will help enormously to take the onion odor out of the kitchen and away from your pets sensitive noses and nervous systems – it's poisonous to them!

Onions are a great source of vitamin A, followed by vitamin C. There are trace amounts of Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, vitamin B6, Riboflavin, and Thiamin. Their minerals are: a great source of Potassium, followed by Phosphorus, and Calcium. There are trace amounts of Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, and Selenium too. They contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Dehydrated Garlic

Dehydrating garlic is easy when you use Elephant, often called Mammoth Garlic! As the name implies, it's much bigger than regular bulbs, like four times bigger! (See photo at the bottom of this page.) It is milder in taste than its regular counterpart.

It is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, followed by Choline. There are trace amounts of vitamin K, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Pantothenic Acid. It is a good source of Potassium, Phosphorus, and Calcium, followed by Iron and Manganese. There are trace amounts of Zinc, Copper, and Selenium and contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.