Agroindustrial project analysi

30 AGROINDUSTRIAL PROJECT ANALYSISis a common one, the amount of new consumer analysis neededmay be minimal. A new product, however, will require a thoroughanalysis.Consumer needsThe purpose of marketing is to define and meet consumer needs.Socially responsible marketing does not create needs but respondsto needs existing within a cultural context.Consumer needs are created by a complex interaction of physiological,sociological, and psychological motives. For processed foods,which constitute the bulk of agroindustrial products, consumerneeds are frequently expressed as preferences for a product'staste, smell, color, texture, and appearance. More fundamentally,the needs relate to nutritional requirements and appetite satisfaction.For fiber products such as cotton, jute, or wood, consumersare industrial buyers (often from another agroindustry) whose maininterests are price and quality.Another motive affecting consumer purchasing is social status.For example, the Yucatin region of southern Mexico has a plantcalled chaya that grows wild and is rich in protein. It was eaten bythe ancient Maya along with maize and beans in a nutritionallysound diet. Over the years, chaya became known as a "poor man's"food, and it was consumed less and less, even though the people'sdiet was short of protein. Consumer preferences also depend onseveral needs in addition to intrinsic product qualities, includingsuch usage conveniences as packaging or cooking ease. To developan appropriate product and an effective marketing program, ananalyst should examine consumers' motives for purchasing aproduct.Market segmentationTo match a product with the needs of consumers, it is necessaryto divide consumers into groups or market segments. Thereare numerous variables that categorize consumers and define segments-forexample, geographic location. In a country as large asIndia, there are considerable differences in language and cultureamong states, and an agroindustry attempting to market its productsnationally would have to adjust its communication and the