Shailza, Latika Sharma, S. S. Burark, R. A. Kaushik and G. L. Meena
Department of Agricultural Economics & Management, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology
(MPUAT), Udaipur-313 001 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail : shell310569@gmail.com; Mobile : 86074 10241)
(Received : April 30, 2021; Accepted : June 15, 2021)
ABSTRACT
Custard apple, Annona squamosa, is a perishable fruit growing wildly in tribal dominated forest of southern
Rajasthan. Therefore, it became a major issue to reduce post-harvest losses in such an important fruit.
MPUAT, Udaipur (Rajasthan) introduced technology and pulp extraction machine for development of custard
apple value chain. Two alternative channels were analyzed viz., private processing unit and farmer producer
company. Fifty tribal people supplying custard apple to processing units were randomly selected from their
records. Efficiency measure developed by Acharya was used for analysis of value chains. The results
revealed that browning problem in custard apple pulp was resolved by use of the technology. Operational
as well as marketing efficiency were on higher sided for value chain of private processing unit as compared
to value chain of famer producer company. On the other hand, employment and entrepreneurship
development of tribal women were better reported for farmer producer company. Further it was recommended
that there was an utmost requirement of market linkage development, demand creation and value chain
development for further developing tribal based economy of southern Rajasthan.
Key words : : Annona squamosa, tribal people, economy, value chain, technological interventions, farmer producer company