Rural Marketing

Rural Marketing plays an important role in India’a development strategy, particularly in the areas of structural diversification, modernization, globalization and self-reliance. India lives in villages. The progress of Indian markets in general and rural markets in particular over the last forty years are manyfold and contributing to economic and social transformations. Rural India and rural marketing activities have witnessed a sea change the post-independence period. The scale, scope and strategies of rural marketing have changed for better according to changes that have taken place in globalized era. Last two decades in particular have witnessed the active participation of Governments both at the centre and the states in the promotion of rural markets. In the WTO regime more needs to be done by all stake holders in the areas of reducing costs, bring in technological inputs, upgrade quality and export competitiveness.

Rural market development in India will help the process of activating factors of production, leading to higher rate of economic growth, dispersal of economic activities, development of rural and tribal areas, employment opportunities, improvement of living standards of our rural masses by empowerment and their active involvement in the process of growth. Large industry leaders and multinational companies are rushing to rural India to market their wares and tap the huge potential.

Extensive efforts are made to collect information from published data and works in the sphere of rural marketing. Efforts have been made to compile and develop case studies of current issues in rural marketing. The discussions of these case studies will accelerate the learning process. The latest and most important issues facing a rural marketer, as well as basic tools and techniques have been covered to infuse relevant knowledge in our students.