Vol. 7, Issue 10, Part C (2025)

The study investigates the growth patterns and marketing efficiency of key horticultural crops in the Kaparada area of Valsad district, Gujarat. Over the past few decades, Gujarat has witnessed remarkable agricultural development, with horticulture emerging as a vital driver of the rural economy. This research focuses on understanding the performance of marketing channels for tomato and sweet potato in the Nana Pondha market of Kaparada region. Primary data were collected from producers, intermediaries, and retailers to analyze marketing costs, price spread, and efficiency across different channels. The findings reveal significant variation in marketing efficiency, with channel-I demonstrating the highest efficiency due to the absence of multiple intermediaries and reduced consumer price, while channel-III exhibited the lowest efficiency because of higher costs and wider price spread. The results highlight the importance of efficient market linkages in enhancing farmers’ income and reducing consumer burden. The study underscores the role of government initiatives, cooperative efforts, and improved market infrastructure in strengthening horticultural value chains. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for reducing intermediary layers, promoting direct farmer-consumer linkages, and encouraging collective marketing to ensure sustainable growth and equitable returns in the horticulture sector of Kaparada, Gujarat.