Effect of Gender on Preference for Organic Products among Adults

With more and more studies indicating the problems of traditional farming and the health complications, there is an equal number of studies showing that organic agriculture is a sustainable model of farming, which enhances the health of people as well as safeguards the biodiversity and animals in those areas. The objective of this research is to analyse the effect of gender on the preference of organic products among adults. A survey with a randomly selected sample was conducted in the tri-city (Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula). A self-structured survey was used to determine the preference for organic farming in 80 adults, of which 40 were males, and 40 were females between the age group of 30 to 50 years. This questionnaire consisted of 30 items, based on three major parameters (i.e. availability of organic food products (such as fruits, vegetables, and grains) in the market; the belief in the associated health benefits of these food products; social influence on the purchase of organic food products) consisting of 10 items each. The results indicated that the stated hypothesis, i.e. “Male adults will have a higher preference for organic farming than their female counterparts” is accepted and stands proved. Since it is probably the first of its kind survey in the Indian context, where an attempt has been made to study differences between male and female adults on organic farming using a relatively small sample, further research needs to be undertaken on a larger sample to authenticate the same.