Company Profile

India's economy is mainly based on Agriculture. However, in the recent years the cultivable land, water resources are also drastically exhausting day by day. To keep pace with the increased food and clothing requirements of ever growing population, the best alternative is to increase the productivity per unit area and make the agriculture sustainable through adequate supply of quality seeds of hybrids having high yield potential, excellent quality, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In view of this, Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd. was established in 1988 by the agripreneurs at Pachora in Maharashtra State (India). The Board of Directors are basically from the agriculture faculty and moreover, they have the rural background which is in real sense helps to know the problems of farming community.

The company started with the mission on need based Research and Development, so as to uplift the rural farmers who are mainly dependent on agriculture. In view of this, supply of quality seeds and bio products such as bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides bio-soil enrichers and bio-organic plant vitalizers well in time at affordable prices is imperative.

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About Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd.

Nirmal Seeds Pvt.Ltd. (NSPL) was established in 1988 by the agripreneurs, Dist. Jalgaon in Maharashtra state, of India. The company started with need based R&D in the field of seed technology for farming community. Maximizing the yield for sustainability of Agriculture is major focus of the company. The NSPL is an ISO 9001-2008 accredited. The Bio-tech Lab is approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Govt of India. Company is dealing with vast range of seeds mainly for subtropical region including major field crops and Vegetables. Company is engaged in manufacturing of Bio inputs such as Growth vitalizers, Organic manures, Bio Fertilizers and Bio Pesticides. NSPL is having National and International Research tie ups. Developmental work of transgenic commercial crops by NSPL is also well recognized in Indian subcontinent.

Orgnizational Structure

 Achievements

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Overview of seed markets

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Thirty-nine institutions were surveyed (Annex Table A1). About 28% of the surveyed seed providers were private national companies (no single international seed company was found operating in the study countries); 49% were seed retailers. The remaining 23% of the survey sample were either farmer’s cooperatives or NARS-supported seed providers. The preponderance of seed retailers and the low number of private seed companies confirm the low level in development of the seed industry in West Africa. However, empirical results (e.g., Joshua 1997) have shown that the private sector-led seed industry is important for a reliable and sustainable seed system of a country. Minot (2008) found that seed programs, since the mid-1980s, have changed from supporting state seed enterprises and have focused efforts on the development of a more diverse and competitive seed sector that includes private seed companies, NGOs, and farmers’ associations. The distribution by type of seed providers interviewed in the four countries is shown (Table 1). The seed production arrangements in Nigeria, Ghana, and Mali was such that the private seed companies obtained breeder seeds from the research institutes

1(national and/or international), and foundation seeds from the national agricultural seed council (NASC).Some of the seed companies in Ghana and Nigeria produced foundation seeds from the breeder seed collected from the research institutes, which were then used in producing certified seeds on the company’s own farm or throughout-growers (i.e., contract growers). There was no seed company in Benin at the time of study but several community seed producers existed.

Success Stories

Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd. has played a significant role in the betterment of farmers and the agricultural sector across India. As a responsible corporate group, Nirmal whole-heartedly believes in serving local communities in all its marketing areas. Nirmal works closely with farmers across states, educating them in the use of Seeds, Bio-Products and ensuring that agriculture as a whole prospers in the markets that Nirmal covers. This is achieved in a variety of ways, from crop specific yield enhancement programs focusing on cotton, Bajra, Jowar and Maize etc, by conducting seminars and other training programs. Nirmal Seeds realizes that innovation and the adoption of new scientific techniques in the field of agriculture is the need of the hour, to ensure agricultural prosperity. The company recognizes progressive farmers whose ardent efforts and achievements have lead to the betterment of the farming community at large. It is to honor these farmers, that the Farmer’s View Section was established in Website. Nirmal acknowledges and supports forward thinking farmers. The company applauds these farmers for adopting proven scientific methods of farming that lead to increases in crop yield. These farmers have gone on to share their new techniques and contributed to the growth of agriculture as a whole. Hence farmers are

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short-listed and honored by Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd. These Agri-Devotee Farmers as an inspiration for other Farmers. Nirmal Seeds is having a very strong affection & bond amongst farming community. Nirmal feels like a Krishi-Mitra for Farmers. Nirmal work & contribution in agricultural is always on an innovative & revolutionary stage for Agri prosperity & healthy nation.

Farmer's View about Nirmal from all over India.

Mr.BhagwanPatil,

Jogdand

MaharashtraThis year Nirmal Seeds announced awards for the “NirmalShetinishtaShetkariPurskar – 2009” based on the yield increase in Sugarcane by using of Biopower granules. Mr.BhagwanPatilJogdand A/P Narwadi Tal. Sonpeth Dist. Parbhani, Mob:- 9881172798, bagged The Best Farmer Award. He has taken 92 tons sugarcane acre under the guidance of regional Manager Marathwada. Mr.Bhagwan was awarded by Mr.AshishWele (President-Business Head) during his visit to Marathwada region. Mr.Bhagwan is very much satisfied with results of Nirmal’s quality products.

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 Agri Tips

Sr.No. Crops Tips to increase yeild

01. Cotton Three toppings is most essential at the time of 75 days, 90 days and 105 days of crop growth period to get more yield.

02. Maize At premature stage (after silk drying & no pollen production in tassels) removal of upper stalk by keeping one leaf on upper cob leads to 10-15% yield increase & green fodder to livestocks also.

03. Paddy SRI method of planting leads to more yield, less seed rate requirement and also less water requirement.

04. Wheat Foliar application of macro & micro nutrients at the stage of flowering & grain filling stage increases yield.

05. Red Gram Sole cropping pattern, 90 x 60 cm spacing, protective 2-3 irrigations followed by plant protection measures will definatly increase yield in midlate maturity genotypes.

06. Mung bean To get good yields, timely sowing of mungbean in kharif is most essential, late sowing leads to low yield & more disease attack.

07. Sunflower Late kharif&rabi sowing periods are good to get good yields. Early kharif leads to more susceptivity to bud necrosis & PM diseases.

08. Tomato Pruning of branching by keeping 2-3 vigours branches followed by upward trailing with nutritional managements will get more yield.

09. Chilli Raised bed system of planting in strip method

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will give good crop growth & more yield.

10. Cucurbits Barrow system followed by vertical trailing system of vines give maximum yields than ground level cultivation. Use of furamen traps in crops like ridge gourd, cucumber, can help in control of fruitfly& ultimately control on yield losses.

11. Melons Pruning of wines at upper position of fruits & keeping 1-2 fruits/ plant will give good quality & bigger size fruits.

12. General 1] Planting / sowing in South-North direction will get good sunlight on crop growth leads to good crop stand & yield. 2] Cultivation across the slope of lands reduce soil erosion & good water conservation for good crop stand & yield. 3] Soil application of NirmalBiopower& 3 foliar spray of NirmalBiopower at preflowering, flowering & pod formation stage will increase yield upto 25-30%.

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Quality Objectives

Enhancing Cutomer Satisfaction

Introducing variety of products

Continuous Upgradation Training programs for employees

Vision to expand globally

Questionair to Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd

Q.1 Ambika (NACH-12) is it suitable for cultivation in North India?Ans.Yes (As per AICRP trials)

Q.2 NJH-40 kharif sorghum hybrid is it suitable for ationing?Ans.No, In Rabi due to low temperature no seed set is there.

Q.3 Why seed rate of wheat Nirbhay is 30 kg/ Acre?Ans.Due to more number of tillers/ plant & more no. of grains/ spike more seed rate affect on yield. As per trials 30 kg / acre is sufficient. 

Q.3 Why seed rate of wheat Nirbhay is 30 kg/ Acre?Ans.Due to more number of tillers/ plant & more no. of grains/ spike more seed rate affect on yield. As per trials 30 kg / acre is sufficient. 

Q.4 Which paddy variety is suitable for upland cultivation?Ans.NR-81 (Kirti) variety is suitable.

Q.5 Mungbean NVL-1 (Naval) is it suitable for summer cultivation?Ans.No, Due to determinate growth habit this variety is not suitable for summer cultivation. 

Q.6 Cluster bean NCB-12 (Nandini) is it suitable for kharif sowing?Ans.No, Due to more vigorous growth this variety is not suitable for April to

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July sowing. 

Q.7 DolichosbeanWal No-3 (Palak) is it suitable for summer cultivation?Ans.No, This variety is suitable for rabi cultivation.

Q.8 Which chilli hybrid is suitable for summer planting?Ans.NCH-12 (Maina) is suitable for summer planting for green chilli purpose.

Q.9 Is there any YVMV resistant okra hybrid/ variety available in India?Ans.No, There are no resistant hybrids/ varieties in India. But highly tolerant variety like Nirmal-303 is available.

Q.10 Rabi sorghum Suvarna (N-259) is it suitable for rainfed cultivation?Ans.Yes, It is suitable in assured rainfall region of growing region.

STRUCTURE OF SALES DEPARTMENT

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CHAIRMEN

DIRECTOR

GENERAL MANAGER

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER

ZONAL AREA MANAGER

AREA MANAGER

AREA SALES MANAGER

TERRITORY SALES MANAGER

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STRUCTURE IN SALES AND MARKETING

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DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM OF COMPANY

COMPANY GODOWN

DIRECT DISTRIBUTOR

SUB DISTRIBUTOR

FARMERS

SALES PROMOTION:

1. FARMERS MEETING

2. ELECTRONIC MEDIA(a) RADIO(b)T.V.(c) INTERNET

3. PRINT MEDIA(a) NEWS PAPER(b)MAGAZINE

4. FIELD DEMOSTRATIONS

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SCHEMES REGULATED BY COMPANY :

1. ADVANCED BOOKING

2. TARGET BASED SCHEMES

3. FOREIGN TOURS

4. CREDIT POLICY

5. FREE GIFT

6. LUCKY DRAW

7. CASH DISCOUNT

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PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

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BEST MEDIA FOR PUBLICITY & SALES PROMOTION ACTIVITIES

During my survey, I observed that sub-dealer and farmers Unawareness, about Cotton seeds varieties hence we must take care on the Useful object such as,

1. ATTENTION/AWARENESS:It is the starting point in the sales process. The Unawareness according the retailer must be attracted, want that the product is able to satisfy the retailers.

2. INTEREST:By organizing Demo, Programmes or workshop ,we can Create an interest in the mind of the sub dealer and farmer ,the sub-dealer and farmer made realize how the product will benefit him and must fill curious to know more about product, its features and merits.

3. DESIRE:We must ignite the desire of the product after securing the attention and after arousing his interest in the product. From the stage of interest to buy the product, we must use all our powers of persuasion and conviction to create on urge to buy.

4. ACTION:It means gaming an order. The addition of the first three Stages should be the actual purchase of the product. The dealers must be induced to buy our product.

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MEDIA OF ADVERTISEMENT:

The advertisement message has to be convey to the Sub-dealer and farmer through some means or channel.

DIRECT ADVERTISEMENT :

Sales literature, Samples, Circulars, Catalogues, Price List, Certification of product, Broachers, Folders, Sending greeting cards on Occasion.

INDIRECT ADVERTISEMENT :

Press: News papers, Agro magazines, Journals, Periodicals.

Outdoor: Posters, Hoarding, Painting, Travelling display.

Film, T.V.: Slides, feature films, Sponsored programmes etc.

Radio: Spot and sponsored programmes.

PRACTICAL ADVERTISEMENT THROUGH POINT OF VIEW:

Taking field demonstration, workshops, taking reviews, and appraisals. Show them video cassettes, counter sale Purchasing plot by company itself, cultivate various varieties on

These research plots and inviting the farmers to see the results.

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Sales techniques

A sale can take place through:

Direct sales, involving person to person contact Pro forma sales Agency-based

Sales agents (for example in real estate or in manufacturing) Sales outsourcing through direct branded representation Transaction sales Consultative sales Complex sales Consignment Telemarketing or telesales Retail or consumer

Traveling salesman Door-to-door methods hawking

Request for proposal – An invitation for suppliers, through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific product or service. An RFP usually represents part of a complex sales process, also known as "enterprise sales".

Business-to-business – Business-to-business sales are much more relationship-based owing to the lack of emotional attachment to the products in question. Industrial/professional sales involves selling from one business to another

Electronic Web – Business-to-business and business-to-consumer Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) – A set of standard for

structuring information to be electronically exchanged between and within businesses

Indirect, human-mediated but with indirect contact Mail-order vending machine

Sales methods: Selling technique Consultative selling

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Sales enablement Solution selling Conceptual Selling Strategic Selling Transactional Selling Sales Negotiation Reverse Selling Paint-the-Picture The take away Sales Habits

The relationships between sales and marketing

Marketing and sales differ greatly, but have the same goal. Marketing improves the selling environment and plays a very important role in sales. If the marketing department generates a list of potential customers, that can benefit sales. A marketing department in an organization has the goal increasing the number of interactions between potential customers and the organization. Achieving this goal may involve the sales team using promotional techniques such as advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and public relations, creating new sales channels, or creating new products (new product development), among other things. It can also include bringing the potential customer to visit the organization's website(s) for more information, or to contact the organization for more information, or to interact with the organization via social media such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs.

The relatively new field of sales process engineering views "sales" as the output of a larger system, not just as the output of one department. The larger system includes many functional areas within an organization. From this perspective, "sales" and "marketing" (among others, such as "customer service") label for a number of processes whose inputs and outputs supply one another to varying degrees. In this context, improving an "output" (such as sales) involves studying and improving the broader sales process, as in any system, since the component functional areas interact and are interdependent.

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Most large corporations structure their marketing departments in a similar fashion to sales departments and the managers of these teams must coordinate efforts in order to drive profits and business success. For example, an "inbound" focused campaign seeks to drive more customers "through the door", giving the sales department a better chance of selling their product to the consumer. A good marketing program would address any potential downsides as well.

The sales department would aim to improve the interaction between the customer and the sales facility or mechanism (example, web site) and/or salesperson. Sales management would break down the selling process and then increase the effectiveness of the discrete processes as well as the interaction between processes. For example, in many out-bound sales environments, the typical process includes out-bound calling, the sales pitch, handling objections, opportunity identification, and the close. Each step of the process has sales-related issues, skills, and training needs, as well as marketing solutions to improve each discrete step, as well as the whole process.

One further common complication of marketing involves the inability to measure results for a great deal of marketing initiatives. In essence, many marketing and advertising executives often lose sight of the objective of sales/revenue/profit, as they focus on establishing a creative/innovative program, without concern for the top or bottom lines - a fundamental pitfall of marketing for marketing's sake.

Many companies find it challenging to get marketing and sales on the same page. The two departments, although different in nature, handle very similar concepts and have to work together for sales to be successful. Building a good relationship between the two that encourages communication can be the key to success - even in a down economy.[6]

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Sale Promotion

The well-known four Ps of marketing represent the sellers’ view of the marketing tools available for influencing buyers. From a buyer’s point of view, each marketing tool is designed to deliver a customer benefit. Also the sellers’ four Ps correspond to the customers’ four Cs. Four Ps Four Cs Product Customer solutions Price Customer cost Place Convenience Promotion Communication

Promotion

Promotion is tool with which public will be informed about the availability of a particular product or service and the uses of such product. Production decides the increase in demand for a product; promotion will make the prospective buyers to know about the want, satisfying characteristics of the product, its price and place of availability. This term includes advertisement, personal selling sales promotion and other selling tools which are increasing the sales volume.

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Sales Promotion

Sales promotion is different promotion, Sales promotion refers to those marketing activities other than personal selling, advertisement and publicity, which stimulate consumer purchasing and dealer effectiveness, such as displays, shows and expositions, demonstrations and various non-recurrent selling efforts not in the ordinary routine. Its purpose is to increase the desire of salesman, distributors and dealers to sell a certain brand and to make consumers more eager to buy that brand. This includes sales activities which supplement both personal selling and advertising.

Sales promotion is only a part of promotion. Promotion includes sales promotion, advertising, personal selling etc. Promotion helps to make all other marketing activities more effective and efficient, but sales promotion helps only to sales activity. Sales promotion may be done with the help of tools like displays, exhibitions, free sample coupons, premium etc. Sales promotion acts as a link between advertisement and personal selling.To sum up, promotion is to make the demand inelastic, while there is change in the price. So promotion must stimulate the consumers to buy more.

Communication and promotion

Marketing communication involves, sharing of meaning, information, concepts, about the products and services by buyers and sellers. Such communications are conveyed with the help of advertisement, salesmanship and sales promotion. A communication will be treated as effective only when it is properly responded by the buyer. The communication must have identical meaning for both sender and receiver. If the communication does not properly reach the receiver or the message received is not the same as the message sent, then that will be called Break down at the message stage. In the market communication, feedback means a response, a reaction over the message sent back by a customer to the sender. In the case of effective communication feedback will be always present.

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Need for Product Promotion

a) To introduce a new product in the market.b) To influence the public with the help of new uses of the product.c) To increase the frequency of purchase by each buyer.d) To encourage dealers to stock more goods.e) To withstand in the competitive field.f) To increase the sales by imparting special training to salesmen and by window display. 76

Effects of Promotion

1. The present day market is very competitive due to the large number of rivals and substitutes. With the help of promotion producer must create product differentiation in the minds of consumers.

2. Promotion is very essential to communicate the use of the product and the nature of the product to consumers and middlemen

3. Nowadays most of the consumers market their products in wider area and the consumers are also very large in number. In such cases personal selling alone cannot be used and so all the steps for promotion are to be followed.

4. During the periods of depression it is essential to maintain at least some minimum market. Therefore it is very essential to use promotion

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.Benefits offered by sales promotions

• It helps in securing trial and defending shelf space against competition.

• Smoothens out the manufacturing capacities of firms in such a way that the peaks and the valleys are minimized.

• Provides opportunities to manufacturers to reach out market segments with differing price sensitivity

• Adds excitement to the in-store merchandizing of consumer goods

• Motivates the trade to keep more and push more of those brands that are on promotion

Types of sales promotion

Sales promotion can be grouped into the following:

Consumer sales promotions (Pull Strategy) –Consumer sales promotion methods encourage or stimulate consumers to patronize specific retail stores or try particular products.

Trade sales promotions (Push strategy) - Trade sales promotion methods stimulate wholesalers and retailers to carry a producer’s products and to market these products more aggressively.

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Promotional contents

Advertising :Advertising is a form of communication used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behaviour with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common. The purpose of advertising may also be to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful. Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various traditional media; including mass media such as newspaper, magazines, television commercial, radio advertisement, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media such as websites and text messages.

Commercial advertisers often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through "Branding," which involves the repetition of an image or product name in an effort to associate certain qualities with the brand in the minds of consumers. Non-commercial advertisers who spend money to advertise items other than a consumer product or service include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Nonprofits organizations may rely on free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement

BrandThe American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers." [1]

A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, colour combination or slogan. For example, Coca Cola is the name of a brand make by a particular company. [2]The word branding began simply as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. The word brand has continued to evolve to encompass identity — it affects the personality of a product, company or service. It is defined

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by a perception, good or bad, that your customers or prospects have about you.

Product placement

Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the good or service is featured. Product placement became common in the 1990s, until the ramifications of product placement were clearly understood.

In April 2006, Broadcasting & Cable reported, "Two thirds of advertisers employ 'branded entertainment'—product placement—with the vast majority of that (80%) in commercial TV programming." The story, based on a survey by the Association of National Advertisers, said "Reasons for using in-show plugs varied from 'stronger emotional connection' to better dovetailing with relevant content, to targeting a specific group

Publicity

Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people (for example, politicians and performing artists), goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.

From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one component of marketing. The other elements of the promotional mix areadvertising, sales promotion, direct marketing and personal selling. Promotion But the publicist cannot wait around for the news to present opportunities. They must also try to create their own news. Examples of this include:

Art exhibitions Event sponsorship

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Arrange a speech or talk Make an analysis or prediction Conduct a poll or survey Issue a report Take a stand on a controversial subject Arrange for a testimonial Announce an appointment Invent then present an award Stage a debate Organize a tour of your business or projects Issue a commendation

Sales promotion

Sales promotion is one of the seven aspects of the promotional mix. (The other six parts of the promotional mix are advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, publicity/public relations, corporate image and exhibitions.) Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability. Examples include contests, coupons, freebies, loss leaders, point of purchase displays, premiums, prizes, product samples, and rebates

Sales promotions can be directed at the customer, sales staff, or distribution channel members (such as retailers). Sales promotions targeted at the consumer are called consumer sales promotions. Sales promotions targeted at retailers and wholesale are called trade sales promotions. Some sale promotions, particularly ones with unusual methods, are considered gimmicks by many.

Premium (marketing)

Premiums are promotional items—toys, collectables, souvenirs and household products—that are linked to a product, and often require box

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tops, tokens or proofs to acquire. The consumer generally has to pay at least the shipping and handling costs to receive the premium. Premiums are sometimes referred to as prizes, although historically the word "prize" has been used to denote (as opposed to a premium) an item that is packaged with the product (or available from the retailer at the time of purchase) and requires no additional payment over the cost of the product.

Price (marketing)

Prises are promotional items—small toys, games, trading cards, collectables, and other small items of nominal value—found in packages of brand-name retail products (or available from the retailer at the time of purchase) that are included in the price of the product (at no extra cost) with the intent to boost sales. Collectable prizes produced (and sometimes numbered) in series are used extensively, as a loyalty marketing program, in food, drink, and other retail products to increase sales through repeat purchases from collectors. Prizes have been distributed through bread, candy, cereal, chips, crackers, laundry detergent, popcorn, and soft drinks. The types of prizes have included comics, fortunes, jokes, key rings, magic tricks, models (made of paper or plastic), pin-back buttons, plastic mini-spoons, puzzles, riddles, stickers, temporary tattoos, tazos, trade cards, trading cards, and small toys (made from injection molded plastic, paper, cardboard, tin litho, ceramics, or pot metal). Prizes are sometimes referred to as premiums, although historically the word "premium" has been used to denote (as opposed to a prize) an item that is not packaged with the product and requires a proof of purchase and/or a small additional payment to cover shipping and/or handling charges

Promotional media

Printing

Printing is a process for reproducing text and images, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.

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Publication

To publish is to make content available to the public.[1][2] While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper (newspapers, magazines, catalogs, etc.) or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books,Compact Discs and MP3s. The word publication means the act of publishing, and also refers to any copies.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof. It could also[vague] be for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication such as amateur (ham) radio and amateur television

Point of sale

Point of sale (POS) (also sometimes referred to as Point of purchase (POP) ) or checkout is the location where a transaction occurs. A "checkout" refers to a POS terminal or more generally to the hardware and software used for checkouts, the equivalent of an electronic cash register.

Product demonstration

 Product demonstration (or "demo" for short) is a promotion where a product is demonstrated to potential customers. The goal of such a demonstration is to introduce customers to the product in hopes of getting them to purchase that item.

Brand ambassador

A Brand Ambassador is a person employed by a company to be the sales rep and physical representative of the company with respect to sales and marketing. The Brand Ambassador is meant to embody the corporate image in appearance, demeanor, values, and ethics.

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Advertisers have been using well known personalities from the world of entertainment and sports to endorse their brands. As celebrity endorsement increased over the years, advertiser evolved the concept of brand ambassador.

Distribution

Product distribution (or place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations (go-between) involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.

The other three parts of the marketing mix are

1)  Product

2)  Pricing

3)  Promotion

4) Place

Marketing mix :

The marketing mix is a business tool used in marketing products. The marketing mix is often synonymous with the 'four Ps': 'price', 'promotion', 'product', and 'place'. However, in recent times, the 'four Ps' have been expanded to the 'seven Ps' with the addition of 'process', 'physical evidence' and 'people'

Four 'P's

Product - A product is seen as an item that satisfies what a consumer needs or wants. It is a tangible good or an intangible service. Intangible products are service based like the tourism industry & the hotel industry or codes-based products like cell phone load and credits. Tangible products are those that can be felt physically. Typical examples of mass-produced, tangible objects are

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themotor car and the disposable razor. A less obvious but ubiquitous mass produced service is a computer operating system. [1]

Every product is subject to a life-cycle including a growth phase followed by a maturity phase and finally an eventual period of decline as sales falls. Marketers must do careful research on how long the life cycle of the product they are marketing is likely to be and focus their attention on different challenges that arise as the product moves through each stage. The marketer must also consider the product mix. Marketers can expand the current product mix by increasing a certain product line's depth or by increase the number of product lines. Marketers should consider how to position the product, how to exploit the brand, how to exploit the company's resources and how to configure the product mix so that each product complements the other. The marketer must also consider product development strategies. [1]

Price  – The price is the amount a customer pays for the product. The price is very important as it determines the company's profit and hence, survival. Adjusting the price has a profound impact on the marketing strategy, and depending on the price elasticity of the product, often; it will affect the demand and sales as well. The marketer should set a price that complements the other elements of the marketing mix.[1]

When setting a price, the marketer must be aware of the customer perceived value for the product. Three basic pricing strategies are: market skimming pricing, marketing penetration pricing and neutral pricing. The 'reference value' (where the consumer refers to the prices of competing products) and the 'differential value' (the consumer's view of this product's attributes versus the attributes of other products) must be taken into account.[1]

Promotion  - represents all of the methods of communication that a marketer may use to provide information to different parties about the product. Promotion comprises elements such as: advertising, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion.

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Advertising covers any communication that is paid for, from cinema commercials, radio and Internet advertisements through print media and billboards. Public relations is where the communication is not directly paid for and includes press releases, sponsorship deals, exhibitions, conferences, seminars or trade fairs and events. Word-of-mouth is any apparently informal communication about the product by ordinary individuals, satisfied customers or people specifically engaged to create word of mouth momentum. Sales staff often plays an important role in word of mouth and public relations (see 'product' above).[1]

Place  - refers to providing the product at a place which is convenient for consumers to access. Place is synonymous with distribution. Various strategies such as intensive distribution, selective distribution, exclusive distribution, franchising can be used by the marketer to complement the other aspects of the marketing mix.

Need and objective of study:

Objective-

• To study the potential of vegetable seed market and current status of major vegetable seed companies in Bellary area.

• To know the perception of farmers and dealers about Nirmal brand and other major competitors.

• To study the marketing activities adopted by different companies in Bellary Dist.

• To undertake SWOT analysis of Nirmal seed.• To frame out suitable strategy for strengthening and repositioning

the Nirmal brand Kalahandi District.

Need for study-

• How to increase the brand image and brand awareness among the farmers.

• What is the current status of Nirmal Seeds with other competitor in Kalahandi.

• How to increase the satisfaction level of the farmers and dealers.

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Research Methodology

Research Design :

• Descriptive type of research has been conducted. • It is also known as Quantitative Research. • Method of sampling: Simple Random Sampling• Sampling area: Kalahandi Dist (Orissa).• Sample size: Total sample size is 380

(350 farmers and 30 Distributors/Dealers/Retailer

Research Instrument:

Structured questionnaire and personnel interviews with different farmers/Distributors/Dealers/Retailers.

Source of data:

(a)Primary data: Farmers and Distributors/Dealers/retailers.(b) Secondary data: From various sources (Agriculture magazine,

Internet, Company’s employees etc.)

Analysis of data:

Simple percentage and average method.

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Steps of Research Methodology

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Distribution of Food Seeds in 2009-10 & 2010-11

Fodders, Fibbers and Vegetables sale has increased during the current year as compared to previous year by 34.97% and it is evident from the table presented below:-

S. No. Crop Group

Sales of Certified/ Quality

Seeds (Rs. In lakhs)

Sales of Certified/ Quality

Seeds (Rs. In lakhs)

%

Increase

1. Cereals 17754.94 14950.64 18.76

2. Oilseeds 26288.85 19463.23 35.07

3. Pulses 10651.82 8855.94 20.28

4. Fibers 1895.16 1202.26 57.63

5. Fibers 1261.21 589.01 114.12

6. Vegetable 2893.28 994.68 190.88

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Networks Of Nirmal Seeds

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ANALYSIS

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In the current 2010-11 ,75% wholesaler and retailer sale 38850 Numbers of packets.

Quantity of COTTON Seeds of Nirmal Seeds in the areas of

Farmers 100% satisfy to the cotton seeds of Nirmal Seeds such as Nirmal Akka, Nirmal 651.

Farmers and retailers more awareness about Cotton seeds of NIRMAL SEEDS.

These varieties are drought resistance and early varieties.

100% farmers purchase the many type of seeds of Nirmal Seeds by their own Awareness and demand and quality base.

Farmers demand short duration varieties.

100% farmers see the quality product.

But due to small boll size Nirmal 651 farmers saying that boll size should be bigger so that it is easy to collect the seeds lint.

FINDINGS:

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During survey I found that 80% farmers satisfy of Nirmal Seeds of Cotton but because of having small boll size of there is facing by farmers to collect the cotton lint. What farmers suggested me is that-

Company needs to launch some new varieties of large boll size having more number of branches. There should be a regular visit of sales person during season and during off season also to note down the problem faced by the farmers.

They have said me some good qualities like less water is required for the Cotton seeds of Nirmal Seeds and it is early variety also.

I collected the data of 50 retailers as well as wholesalers an apart from that 100 farmers also.

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Bibliography & Reference

1. Nirmal Seeds Pvt. Ltd.2. www.slideshare.net

3. www.wikipedia.org 4. www.google.com 5. Philip Kortler – Marketing Management, MillenumEdn. PHI6. RajanSaxena – Marketing Management, Tata – McGraw Hill

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