Understanding the Contractual Arrangements in the Mango Value Chain

This paper identifies factors affecting design and management of contract arrangements in mango value chain using data from survey of 83 contractors involved in mango production and marketing in Uttar Pradesh, India. Contract partners’ responses on various aspects of contractual arrangements such as contract structure and negotiation process were recorded with the help of a structured questionnaire administered personally. Descriptive statistics and factor and correlation analysis has been used to identify and understand the important aspects of mango contract. Various aspects of contractual arrangement can broadly be categorized into three parts orchard owners’ characteristics, orchard characteristics and contract management attributes, which can further be sub-divided into 9 factors. Correlations between contractors’ demographic profiles and various contract factors provide practical insights about critical aspects of contract design and management in agricultural production.