Linking farmers to market through processing: the role of agro-industry clusters with special reference to mango in south India.
Mysore Sudha, Kruijsen F.
Author Affiliation: Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, India.
: 259-282
Abstract : This chapter presents an in-depth analysis of the role of agro-based clusters in agro-industries development, using the case of the totapuri mango belt in Southern India. The subject is approached from the perspective of cluster partnerships and supply chain management. An economic analysis is performed of value addition at different stages along the value chain, in an attempt to understand the risks at each level of the chain and the distribution of margins among the chain's actors. The study highlights the role of market information to the smooth functioning of the agro-industry cluster. The integration of mango supply chains appears to be incomplete, given that the benefits of higher price from exports do not seem to trickle down to the lowest players in the chain, the producers. To provide guidance on how the mango cluster can be improved, the chapter compares successful models from other crops and suggests institutional support for setting up a suitable alternate market integration mechanism, e.g. a commodity board for export-oriented production of semi-processed mango.