Published Paper Details:

The structure of rural marketing in Assam and the wider North-Eastern belt of India shows distinct variations from the rest of the nation, largely because of the difficult geographical features of the region. In Assam, the rural marketing framework mainly revolves around three categories: periodic markets (including traditional fairs), everyday bazaars, and itinerant sellers. Among these, the weekly markets stand out as particularly significant within the agricultural exchange system, especially in a state where almost 80 percent of the territory is identified as countryside. Nearly three-fourths of the inhabitants remain dependent on agriculture, either directly through cultivation or indirectly through allied activities, making these markets vital. Close to 85% of cultivators in the state are marginal or small-scale farmers, who rely heavily on weekly haats not only for disposing of their agricultural produce but also for acquiring farm necessities and household items that they cannot produce on their own. For them, reaching nearby haats is both more convenient and less costly compared to traveling to urban trading centers. These markets thus serve a decisive role in determining the commercial value of agricultural surpluses and in sustaining the livelihoods of rural farming families. The present study tries to analyze the scale and form of farmer participation in weekly markets within Assam, with special reference to the Sonitpur district. The researcher employs a descriptive methodology, making use of information collected from both firsthand surveys and secondary references.