Marketing Fruits and Vegetables in South Central Alabama: The Diffusion Approach

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the marketing of fruits and vegetables in South Central Alabama using the diffusion approach. The objectives were: (a) to encourage farmers to attend workshops on grading and packaging of fruits and vegetables, and (b) to determine the impact of these workshops on the operations of the farmers. The diffusion innovation model in agriculture is based on the hypothesis that increasing information flow on innovations to farmers will result in positive results. Data for this study were obtained using a questionnaire. Results indicated that farmers were using the information they obtained at the workshops in their operations, indicating that diffusion has taken place.