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SIT Journal of Management
Vol. 2. No. 2. December 2012. Pp.204-218
1 Sarkar & Bose
ISSN: 2278-9111
Financial Sustainability of SHGs through Marketing and Cost Recovery System - An Empirical
Investigation
Soumitra Sarkar* & Arup Kumar Bose**
ABSTRACT:
The buzz word “Microfinance” was introduced by the policymakers and think tankers to use it as a
double edged weapon to fight against poverty through the development of microenterprises.
Traditionally micro finance programmes were aimed at removing the constraints of availability of
finance for operations and asset building of micro entrepreneurs. In the recent time the main concern
is the sustainability of the microenterprises. It is being recognised in many occasions the fact that
without proper marketing innovations and strategies it would not be possible for the micro finance
beneficiaries to sustain their enterprises in the long- run. Micro finance programmes in India have also
stresses upon marketing as a vital tool for sustainability of enterprises operated by the beneficiaries.
The guidelines of the programmes specify that Government and Non-Government Agencies should
render specific services and allot definite amount of funds for piloting marketing programmes for
micro finance beneficiaries. The guidelines also specify the importance of carrying out market
surveys before product specific micro enterprises are set up in rural areas. This study while delving
into the importance of marketing strategies for micro finance beneficiaries takes up the case of micro
entrepreneurs engaged in making pottery and terracotta items in a rural belt in the district of
Darjeeling, West Bengal. Through personal observation, interviews and administration of structured
questionnaires, the production techniques, marketing avenues, problems in marketing and help from
Government agencies like the District Rural Development Centre has been explored. It has been
found that though a variety of items are produced and marketed by the beneficiaries in local markets
out-station fairs and through middlemen, they face a host of problems with regard to marketing. The
paper therefore recommends some policy prescriptions to ameliorate these problems and evolve
proper marketing strategies for micro finance beneficiaries.
Key words: Economic Impact, Sustainable Development, Micro Finance.
* Dr. Soumitra Sarkar, Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Alipurduar College, affiliated under
North Bengal University, email:[email protected], M:+91(0)9434181173.
** Mr Arup Kumar Bose, Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Siliguri Institute of Technology,
affiliated, under West Bengal University of Technology email : [email protected], M: +91(0)9733065361.
SIT Journal of Management
Vol. 2. No. 2. December 2012. Pp.204-218
2 Sarkar & Bose
ISSN: 2278-9111
Microfinance & SHG Sustainability: An Introduction
Microfinance was considered as a double edged weapon to fight against poverty. It has multi-fold
objectives with its entire gamut of micro-savings, micro-credit, micro-insurance, micro-remittance
and micro-pension. The policy makers and think tankers have been recognised that with its financial
along with non financial services it would capacitate the vulnerable section of the society so that
beneficiaries can start income generating microenterprises for them. Micro finance programmes are
designed to target the rural and urban poor with emphasis on women borrowers, provision of finance
for asset creation on the principle of borrowers know best. Different programmes have been initiated
all over the globe to alleviate poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving
the world poverty by 2015. Keeping space with this objectives, the last decade in particular it has
generated mounting interest & efforts in microfinance operations, systems, outreach, viability, impact,
institutionalization and regulation, invigorated by the incredible accomplishments of institutions like
the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and BRI, BancoSol in Indonesia and NABARD in India. Modern
microfinance has brought a sea change in its operation from individual lending to group based multi
dose injection system. This paradigm shift in the microfinance delivery mechanism has created a new
avenue for the improvised section of the society around the globe. Like other countries in the world,
group based microfinance delivery mechanism have been launched by Government of India in a
phased manner. Large number of schemes had been initiated during last few decades but most of them
were unable to reach their objectives and became failure. A comprehensive and holistic microfinance
programme have been started in India named Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) in
1999 to eliminate the lacuna of the previous microfinance programmes. It aims to provide the multi
dose subsidised credit along with non financial services to the vulnerable section of the society in
order to capacitate them to run micro enterprises. In 1999-2010 it has a total count of more than 4.5
million groups which have been formed in India under SGSY and a significant part of the total SHGs
in India has taken up income generating economic activities to produce products and to render
services. The beneficiaries are mainly involved in chira & muri, soft toy making, poultry, handicraft
& garment making, embroidery work, animal farming, pan stall at the local hut etc. The beneficiaries
are producing their products with materials and other inputs around their locality. They use to sell
their products in their locality i.e. in their village and in very few cases the can sell their products in
the nearby town. The basic purpose for which SHGs are formed is that the members can generate
income from micro enterprises promoted and operated by the groups. The SHG can sustain for long
time if they can only generate sufficient fund by the income generating economic activities. It is
therefore implied that the viability and sustainability of micro enterprises built and operated by the
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Vol. 2. No. 2. December 2012. Pp.204-218
3 Sarkar & Bose
ISSN: 2278-9111
beneficiaries will depend on the fact whether they can market their produce and generate a reasonable
turnover.
Problem in Marketing of SHG products
Market mechanism for goods produced by SHGs may appear unintelligible and a complex task, in
reality it means checking out what sells and what does not. Goods and services are traded every day in
all parts of the country. However, the pertinent question is whether the microfinance beneficiaries
mainly hailing from rural and remote areas of the country have the knowledge or the literacy to access
formal marketing channels or decide on market segmentation and promotional strategies. Micro-
finance exponents have realized that marketing is the main problem for the micro enterprises all over
the country. It has been observed that for the micro entrepreneurs, production in lower volumes and
in some cases inferior quality; inferior packaging and absence of advertising support make them
incompetent to compete with the marketing strategies adopted by large companies. Kumaran (2002),
Mandal (2005) and Shylendra (2006) identified that in absence of proper marketing avenues SHGs
were facing hindrances regarding initiating or continuing viable economic activities. Purushotham
(2004) found out that in want of innovative marketing support, savings of many SHGs were either
under-utilised or unutilised, as these could not be canalised into viable economic avenues. He
suggested that SHGs could follow strategies like market penetration and market creation. Mishra ,
Rajput , Mohapatra and Dash (2006) identified that most of the SHG products are sold in local rural
haats to the “middle man”, who pay very less price to the members, resulting in low income for the
group. Ganapathi and Malar(2008) observed that the success of the system of SHGs in China and
Bangladesh has opened up opportunities in India as well the main problem which there SHGs
encounter is the acceptance of their products by the consumers. Moreover, lack of adequate funds
hampers their efforts to take up promotional campaigns and incur expenses on advertising. Hofstede
et al. (1996) argued that working in remote villages far away from market centres limits the scope for
identifying and initiating viable income generating activities. Income Generating Activities do not
automatically bring overall economic development, but they need markets where people with
disposable cash will buy goods and services. Therefore, it is recommended that programmes should
focus more on promoting Income Generating Activities near markets in semi- urban areas, market
centres and larger villages. This phenomenon is a matter of serious concern but very little
investigation has been carried out to find out the route causes of marketing problems of the products
being produced by the SHGs. The paltry literature that is available mainly points out lack of
marketing avenues and identification of proper products produced by SHGs. It is very much important
to see what sells in the local markets, what can be sold through Government agencies and trade fairs,
what type of intermediation is required for selling the goods in other states and foreign countries and
SIT Journal of Management
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4 Sarkar & Bose
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what type of promotional and distributional strategies are to be made for farm and non farm products
made by SHGs. On this backdrop the present study was conducted to reach the following objectives.
Objectives of the Study
The study was carried out in the villages under Shikarpur Gram Panchayat in Rajganj Block of
Jalpaiguri District. At the end of December-2011 to June 2012, there were 212 SHGs formed in this
Gram Panchyat. All of them were exclusively women groups and 139 groups had passed the first
grading and had received the revolving fund for the in economic activity. These groups were linked to
Central Bank of India, Belakoba Branch. Few groups are engaged in micro entrepreneurial activities
like making of flat rice (Chira & Muri), poultry, animal husbandry, paddy & other crops production,
retail shops, tea stall, etc. All these groups were chosen for this study. This study delves into the
following main objectives.
To find the products being produced by the SHGs under SGSY, the cost of production of these
products, the training received for production process and the problems in identifying the
economic activities.
To find the marketing and distribution channels of these products and the problems in marketing
these products, the revenue realized from these products and the surplus / deficit generated
through the economic activities.
To explore the role of Government agencies, NGOs and other facilitating bodies in building
infrastructure for SHG products, training and capacity building for marketing and the perception
of the beneficiaries towards the services extended by these agencies and bodies.
Methodology of the study
For the purpose of the study a mix of different methods of conducting field studies were used. In
addition to a small questionnaire that was personally administered to 139 Swarojgaries engaged in
Agriculture, animal Farming, Poultry, Nursery, Small Shop Business, Handicrafts etc. , informal
discussion were made with this respondents, DRDC officials, and purchasers of these products in
the locality. In addition to this, direct observation techniques were used to find out how the items were
manufactured, how raw material are procured and stored, how the finished products were sent to the
SIT Journal of Management
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markets, how the sales are made. The facts and data generated are therefore primary in nature. These
are presented in the next section.
Findings of the study
The findings of the study are presented in different sub-section, i.e., products and production
techniques, Market and prices, Role of govt. agencies and perception of Swarojgaries, etc.
Table No:-I
Products produced by the SHGs under Shikarpur GP
Economic
Activities
No of SHGs
Percentage of
Total SHGs
Only Agricultural Products 40
28.78
Agricultural along with other
works 19 13.67
Only Animal Farming 24 17.27
Animal Farming along with
other works 19 13.67
Only Poultry 2 1.44
Poultry along with other
works 4 2.88
Handicraft &Garment Making 3 2.16
Handicraft & Garment
Making along with other
activities
2 1.44
Only Nursery 5 3.60
Nursery along with other
works 1 0.72
Small Shop 3 2.16
Others Salpata 17
12.23
Total 139 100
Source: Field survey
From the above table it is found that most of the SHGs of Shikarpur Gram panchayat are engaged in
agriculture and animal farming. About 42 percent of the total groups are engaged in Agriculture and
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about 40 percent of the total SHGs under Shikarpur GP are engaged in animal Farming. Out of 59
groups who are engaged in agricultural activities, 19 of them are engaged in other works also. On the
other hand out of 43 groups who are involved in animal farming, 19 of them are engaged in other
works also. It implies that the beneficiaries are not able to manage the economy to generate adequate
profit for them and for this reason they have taken up the combination of two or more economic
activities at a time to earn money from other sources also. So it is worthwhile to examine the cost of
the products being produced by the SHGs in this GP.
Beneficiaries are engaged in Handicraft Making
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Beneficiaries has taken up Nursery as income generating activity
Table No:-II
Cost of Products Being Produced by the SHGs under Sikarpur Gram Panchayat
Types of
Activities
Cost
(Rs)
Cycle in
One Year
Total Selling
Price ( Rs)
Profit ( Selling Price –
Cost Price)
Use of Profit
Agricultural
Products 34930 2 52563 17633 Household
Purpose
Animal Farming 120000 183500 63500
Household
Purpose
Poultry 32800 6 71500 38700
Household
Purpose
Handicrafts &
Garment Making) 165000 215000 50000 Household
Purpose
Nursery
21600 43900 22300
Household
Purpose
Small Shops
251000 436000 185000
Household
Purpose
Salpata
229000 317000 88000
Household
Purpose
Source: Field Survey
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ISSN: 2278-9111
It is found from the above table that all the groups are consuming their profit for household purpose.
So it implies that the rural beneficiaries have taken up the economic activities as a principle source of
their livelihood which is a significant impact of microfinance. It is obvious that the volume of average
profit is much low to maintain their daily list of minimum requirements. However, the beneficiaries
who are engaged in small shop business are earning reasonable profit. The groups engaged in Salpata
and other works are able to generate reasonable profits for their livelihood. It is surprising that, the
profits from the agricultural activities is very low. Effective and skilful use of resources can enable
the producers to produce a cost effective product which in turn increase the volume of profit. This is
only possible through the capacity building training in particular trade. The following section will be
dealing with the extent of training programme.
Table No:-III
Training taken up by the SHGs from DRDC and other Agencies
Source: Field Survey
The above table depicts that, less than 40% of the total SHGs under the area of the study got the
opportunity to develop their skill trough Skill Development Training (SKDT). It is surprising to state
that, a significant portion of groups engaged in Agricultural activities and Animal Farming, but they
did not get training from any agency on these trades. Astonishingly it can be pointed out through the
survey that a large number of groups in this GP have attended the training in different trade but they
have taken up economic activities in other trade. It implies that DRDC, the nodal agency, could not
arrange the training programme for the beneficiaries in a befitting manner to cater to the actual needs
of the beneficiaries. In most of the cases it was target driven.
Economic Activities No of
SHGs(1)
No of groups
Trained(2)
% of groups trained on
particular trade(1/2)
Agricultural products
59
25 42.37
Animal farming ( Cow,
Goat, Lamb)
43
15 34.88
Poultry
6
5 83.33
Handicraft and Garment
making
5
5 100
Nursery
6
5 83.33
Small shop
3 NIL NIL
Others, (Salpata etc.)
17 NIL NIL
Total 139 55 NIL
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Kabita SHG Engaged in Animal Farming
Table: – IV
Marketing channels for the SHG products under Shikarpur Gram Panchayat
Nature of Work
Marketing Channels Total No of SHGs
Local
Hats
Whole Sellers Fair Govt.
Department
Door to
door
Agricultural
products
55
4 - - - 59
Animal farming (
Cow, Goat, Lamb)
38
5 - - - 43
Poultry
4
2 - - - 6
Handicraft and
Garment making
3
1
1 - - 5
Nursery
1 - -
5 - 6
Small shop
3 - - - - 3
Others, (Salpata
etc.)
3
14 - - - 17
Total 107 26 1 5 - 139
Source: Field Survey
The above table is self explanatory, it depicts that most of the products of SHGS in this area are sold
in the local Hatts/ Markets. A few products are sold through wholesalers. These local markets are
controlled by the middle men who generally control the market price of the products. As a result the
beneficiaries are not able to generate high profit by the sale of their products at high price. Only one
SIT Journal of Management
Vol. 2. No. 2. December 2012. Pp.204-218
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SHG engaged in handicrafts and Garment Making could sale their product in fair. Almost all the
groups engaged in nursery business could sale their products in Government sponsored sales counter
and forest department of Govt. of West Bengal for social forestry. It implies that most of the groups
are not getting help from Govt. to sale their product in outside markets. The beneficiaries claimed that
if they get proper help from DRDC and other agencies for selling their product in outside market,
then they could earn more profit.
In order to find out the perceptions of the Swarojgaries objectively, variety of statements based on a
Five-point Liker scale was administered to the respondent. The scale was: strongly agree, agree,
no opinion or do not know, disagree, strongly disagree. Each category was assigned score in the
following manner: 2 points for strongly agree, 1 point for agree, 0 for no opinion, (-1) for
disagree, and (-2) for strongly disagree. The results are given in the following table.
Table No:-V
Perception of SHG producers regarding Marketing Avenues and support system.
(N=139)
Statements
Strongly
agree (2)
Agree
(1)
No
opinion
(0)
Disagree
(-1)
Strongly
disagree
(-2)
Mean
score
Sales amount is sufficient for your
livelihood. 28 11 88 12 -0.60
Sales volume should increase. 23 96 20 1.02
Quality of product needs to be
improved. 37 77 19 6 1.04
Training is necessary for quality
improvement. 12 90 28 9 0.76
Training facilities are somewhat
inadequate. 19 74 19 18 9 0.55
DRDC should give more
sponsorship for attending trade fair. 14 81 35 9 0.72
Facilities should be made for the
transportation of goods to local
melas.
35 81 12 11 1.01
Govt. should take steps for the 33 79 19 8 0.98
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The information presented in the table discloses many interesting facts. Though most of it is self-
explanatory, some points need to be highlighted. The highest mean score for any statement can be 2
showing that all the respondents are very positive about the statement, on the other hand a mean score
of (-) 2 shows that all respondents have a negative attitude about the statement. The mean scores lies
between these two extremes. The first two statements show that on an average the respondents agree
that an increase in sales is necessary for them. Respondents are quite positive about the fact that in
order to create more market demand, there is a need to improve quality and get more training for
quality improvement. They also emphasize that, a considerable amount of insurance coverage is
required to recover the inter-process loss and loss in transit. This aspect needs attention because; the
motivation to capture more market through quality improvement needs to be continuously nourished
in the minds of the Swarozgaris. Many of them agree that DRDC should arrange for more training
programmes for them. The respondents are quite keen on Government support regarding procurement
of raw materials for them and transportation of finished goods for them to the local trade fairs. This
shows that the members of the group feel that their marketing efforts can definitely improve if the
support mechanisms of the Government agencies improve. This is also corroborated by the response
that they want the Government agencies to advertise for them and the media to disseminate more
information for the products.
advertising of products.
Media should give more coverage
to their art and problems. 29 70 40 0.92
Insurance for wastage of finished
goods in the production process
should make to recoup the loss.
35 80 19 5 1.04
Transport insurance should be
made to recoup the loss 28 83 23 5 0.96
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Beneficiaries are in their small shop at the local Hatt
Members of Ma Durga SHG are showing garments made themselves
Conclusions and Policy Prescriptions
The preceding section has identified the genesis of the serious problems of marketing that is being
percolated in the rural areas for which the beneficiaries are getting difficulty to marketise their
products. The members of the SHGs can produce large volume of products but they are facing
problems when they are in search for markets of their products. On the basis of the findings of the
study certain suggestions for improving the marketing strategies of Self Help Groups should be
undertaken. Some of these are:
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Vol. 2. No. 2. December 2012. Pp.204-218
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A comprehensive study should be conducted by the Government agencies and NGOs on their own
or through joint collaboration to detailed out the micro entrepreneurial problems of different types
of activities and products and understand the specific problems related to these. It has been
recognised in Government policy through SGSY Guidelines which provides that “It must be
noted that identification of activities is critical for the success of the SGSY. It is therefore
necessary that it should be done in careful manner.” (Para 1.13, SGSY guidelines). The new
programme (NRLM) which came into exist after SGSY, would also provide support for
marketing to the institutions of the poor. The range of activities in marketing support includes
market research, market intelligence, technology extension, developing backward and forward
linkages, building livelihoods collectives and supporting their business plans. NRLM would
encourage and support partnerships with public and private organizations and their
networks/associations for these activities, particularly for market linkages. Rural Haats would
also be encouraged to directly link producer groups (SHGs) and individual producers with urban
and semi-urban markets through a well developed system of continuous identification and
rotation of beneficiaries. 20% of the state’s programme outlay (25% in case of North-Eastern
States and Sikkim) is reserved for this purpose.
DRDC and Government agencies should arrange adequate training programmes for the
beneficiaries and the trainee should be selected according to their proposed trade of economic
activities and not on the basis of target of the DRDC.
As revealed by the beneficiaries that they are not getting subsidized seeds and fertilizer from
Government. For that reason their costs are very high and profits are low. Therefore, the
Government agencies should develop strategies for assuring supply of good quality raw materials
at cheap prices to the SHGs and arrange for transportation of their finished goods.
DRDC should disseminate information about melas and trade fairs much more frequently and
well in advance to the SHGs and sponsor their full travelling expenses including cost of carriage
of their products.
DRDC has proposed to build a separate market for the SHG products this locality. Though it is
under red tape and there is no progress. So prompt action should be taken to execute this type of
plans as soon as possible and issue adequate funds from the infrastructure development fund of
DRDC.
The producers are producing and selling their products in rural hatts , markets and as a
result the area of market is very limited. Adequate advertisement should be given to expose the
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quality of the goods in the local news papers and TV channels at a subsidised rate. The Government
agencies should take positive steps to arrange the advertisement at a subsidised rate or at free of cost.
To recover the loss of crops and the amount of interposes loss, adequate amount of micro
insurance policy with simple procedures is needed.
Standing Committee on Urban and Rural Development had conducted a study in 2004 on marketing
of products manufactured by SHGs. This study observed that the quality of the products produced by
the SHGs has to be improved. The Committee feels that State Governments should provide protection
to locally produced items and a survey should be done in this regard to find out, to what extent SHG
products are being sold in the local market and the State Governments may be asked to provide
protection to the SHG produced items and to find out the success in sale of SHG products in local
markets, The SHGs can generate adequate amount of profits from the sales proceeds of their products
through the effective marketing strategies which help them to sustain in the long run. If they unable
sold out their entire products which they produced, there will be a large volume of unsold stock which
magnifies the amount of huge loss for the SHGs, the investment will gradually drain off and the loan
and subsidy pumped in from the SGSY scheme will be misutilised. . It is therefore suggested that the
Government agencies, NGOs and above all the SHGs, clusters of SHGs and Federations of SHGs lay
utmost importance to develop an effective marketing strategies for the products made by SHGs to
ensure their long term sustainability.
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