Comparative Analysis of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Perceived Gains in Marketing of Farmer Producer Company Shareholders of Kerala, India

The study conducted among FPC shareholders of the state of Kerala in India, aimed at understanding their entrepreneurial orientation and perceived gains in marketing because of their membership. The relationship between selected variables and socio-demographic variables was also analyzed. For the purpose of the research 126 shareholders were selected from 30 organizations in different geographical regions of the state. The overall entrepreneurial orientation was found to be 74.60% and perceived gains in marketing were found to be 65.36%. Comparison shareholders from different geographical regions of the selected variables revealed that entrepreneurial orientation and perceived gains in marketing were low for shareholders in the Northern region of the state. A positive correlation of entrepreneurial orientation with age and annual income suggested that training must be focused on young shareholders belonging to low-income categories. Marketing of all marketable surplus was difficult due to the limited nature of crops considered by the Farmer Producer Companies. However, they appreciated the easiness in the marketing of their produce through FPCs. The education level of shareholders also had a positive impact on their perception of gains in marketing.