Market access and economic loss during covid 19 lock down: The case of paddy farmers in Kerala

Abstract

Covid 19 pandemic has induced a nationwide lock down. The lockdown has increased the uncertainty in markets due to abrupt halt of economic activities which resulted in sudden contraction of demand and supply. The present study examines the market access to paddy farmers and attempts to quantify the losses to them due to lockdown in the Kerala state during the pandemic period. The results show that 89 per cent of the paddy farmers accessed public procurement system and the paddy marketing channel which involves private traders were totally absent during the pandemic period. On an average, total economic loss due to lockdown for paddy farmer amounted to Rs.3691/ha. The market access available to the paddy farmers in Kerala during Covid 19 lockdown period in the form of the well-established public procurement system turned out to be the most effective marketing channel during this exceptional situation which limited the lockdown related economic losses to around one percent of the total loss in state agriculture sector.