APPLICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN ADVERTISING FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS IN AHMEDNAGAR DISTRICT

Abstract

This study is basically a qualitative study in nature. It evaluates the various applications of Social Media in the marketing of agricultural products in India. The study basically helps to collect and disseminate the market information about the fresh fruit and vegetable products. There are so many different options out there for agricultural consumers and suppliers. Whether you are looking to launch a new product to the market or just looking for a new way to advertise an already successful one, the following options will be available to any producer such as print media, classifieds, Internet, Radio, TV and social media. All these marketing sectors have their pros and cons. However, social media provides the excellent way to influence an audience outside of traditional advertising revenues. As the world is going social, agriculture cannot remain an exception. Internet based communication tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Instagram, Linkedin, Printrest, YouTube etc known collectively as Social Media are gaining popularity for large and small business alike including agricultural marketing for fresh fruit and vegetables. Social Media is increasingly becoming integrated into people’s daily lives and they visit it multiple times a day. When done in a correct way social media can bring your marketing and sales messages to an audience through a persuasive channel. It helps to advertise product in the market to maintain balance between supply and demand of the agricultural commodity. Nowadays Social Media not only helps in connecting people but also make it easy to modernize the marketing activities for different product. Presently it contributes more to every sphere of marketing like product, price, place, promotion and developing the market base. Now the farmers of India use Social Media to search the source of supplies of seed, insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, food grains and fruits and vegetables as well as to market the product in country and abroad. Farmers also test the validity of information about the product advertised by the use of Social Media. Moreover, farmers enjoy the agricultural news from the different electronic and print media through Social Media. Afterall, the Social Media technology has dramatically changed the marketing activities for the agricultural products.