ABSTRACT
Marketing involves assembling, storing, processing, packaging, grading, transportation and distribution of agricultural commodities from farmers to consumers. Marketing plays an important role in accelerating the pace of economic development of farmers. The present study mainly deals with the impact of COVID-19 on marketing behaviour of mango growers in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. The paper deals with changes that occurred in marketing behavior before and during pandemic, problems faced by the mango growers during pandemic. The study area was selected by purposive sampling and 50 respondents were selected randomly from three villages. The impact of pandemic on marketing behaviour was analyzed with the help of frequency, percentage and paired t-test using SPSS software. Before pandemic 78.40 per cent of mango growers sold their produce when prices are attractive,80.00 per cent sold to the export organization,86.00 per cent to nearby town,78.00 per cent by means of tractor and 82.00 per cent received their market information through fellow farmers. During pandemic, 80.00 per cent of the respondents sold their produce immediately after the harvest, 84.00 per cent of mango growers sold directly to the consumers, 64.00 per cent sold to nearby villages, 64.00 per cent sold by means of other transport sources, 78.00 percent received their market information through social media. Indicators of marketing behaviour such as time of sale, mode of sale, place of sale, mode of transport, source of market information had significant mean difference and showed decrease in mean values during pandemic when compared to before pandemic. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant impact of pandemic on marketing behaviour of mango growers. Major problem faced by the mango growers during pandemic is inadequate transport facilities (Garrett score 69.32) followed by export organizations remain closed(67.68) and fluctuations in price(60.54).