Mapping the Small Onion Value Chain in Tamil Nadu, India

Onion is an important crop at domestic and international level and growers faced problems in both production and marketing. Value chain analysis is essential to trace the series of activities and actors across small onion value chain and analyse their role and performance. The first step in value chain analysis is to map various actors and their roles. This study was undertaken to map the existing value chain in small onion in Perambalur district. Mapping the value chain practices will help us to understand the existing practices in small onion cultivation in Tamil Nadu. Inputs used in the production such as seedlings, fertilizer, plant protection chemicals were provided to the farmers; the farmer produced the onion and sold to the intermediaries in the value chain. Intermediaries like local traders, commission agents, retailers procured onion from the farmers and transferred to the end consumers.