Bottom Of The Pyramid: Rural Market Poised For A Leap

Bottom Of The Pyramid: Rural Market Poised For A Leap

India’s miss stricken apartment market is not a paranoia to the corporate world. Undeterred by 37. 5 per cent of the population ( about 100 million people ) living below the curtailment line, the corporate are foraying into rural market. The expansion story is ripening to India’s hinterland. Indian rural market is booming with surging agriculture evolution since the mid of 2000’. It has also provided cushion for the recession hit urban market. It was not hit by global recession. Only 11 percent of the rural market depends on bank credit.
Today, Maruti, the country’s biggest automobile all powerful, is targeting rural market to sustain its auto clench in the country. Launching the rural drive only two years back, its rural sales soared to 16. 5 per cent or about 1, 65, 000 vehicles in 2009 - 10. At instant, rural market accounts for hefty shares in several market segments – 70 percent in toilet soaps, 50 per cent in TV and 55 per cent in LIC policies. FMCG companies are reaping high revenue from rural market – 45 per cent each of Colgate Palmolive and Hindustan Lever, 50 per cent of Lion Honda and 60 per cent of Mahindra and Mahindra
While the urban market is shrinking, rural market is growing parallel. In FMCG, rural market witnessed 23 per cent prosperity in 2009 - 10. It is projected to thrive at 40 percent against 25 percent in urban areas. In telecom, rural market was growing at 70 percent. As of June 2009, rural wireless subscribers were 125. 95 million against 70. 83 million in June 2008. Rural market accounts for 30 per cent of walking telephones.
The rural market in India is a home for 790 million consumers. The total income in rural India will extent US$ 425 billion in 2010 - 11, a 12 percent annual beefing up since 2004 - 05. This exponential augmentation in rural income was derived from four main factors, in addition tom agricultural boost: no tax, NREGA ( National Rural Employment Guarantee Calendar ), loan waiver in 2009 - 10 and increase in MSP ( Minimum Support Prices ).
NREGA emerged a driving force for propelling up the rural market. As of 2009, 44. 9 million households, comprising of five members per household, benefited from the scheme. One member from each household was offered employment for 100 days below the diary. According to validated, majority of the beneficiaries reported increase in their consumption, health expenditure and savings. An estimation reveals that of about Rs 7000 earned by per household every year, about 50 per cent were spent for non - food items.
Over the period of three years thanks to NREGA was launched in February 2006, US$ 12 billion ( Rs 53, 605 crores ) was infused in the rural market as remuneration. Of theses, if 50 per cent were surfeited on non - food, the rural India generated US $ 6 billion ( Rs 26, 802 crore ) new market during these three years period. During 2010 - 11, about US$ 6 billion ( Rs. 27, 268 crore ) will be infused as remuneration underneath the scheme. Of these, 50 per cent or US$ 3 billion ( Rs 13, 634 crore ) will be too many to the rural market.
Corporations are adopting different strategies to capture the rural market. Small packaging at lower prices, use of IT services to delineate the agriculture and weather information and uncommon distribution systems are some of the ingenious steps taken to witness into the rural market. New bottle water brand Bonaque by Coca Cola, customized TV Samporna by LG with instruction in regional languages, Shanti Amla oil by Marico are some of the brands generated to lure the rural consumers.
New retailing strategies were grafted to woo the rural people. Rural India accounts nearly 55 per cent of retail market. Haryali Kisan Bazar by DCM, Choupa Sagar by ITC, Kisan Sansars by Tata are some of the success stories for retailing in rural market. Product adaptation, suiting to rural market, is heavier strategy by the corporate. Nokia felt the need to dwarf the infrastructure absent. It introduced a moving phone – Nokia 1100 - with in - built kindle, an alarm clock and a radio. It launched Life Tool service, which offers agriculture information, education and entertainment targeting rural India.
In summing up, despite the vagaries of monsoon, rural market will soar with the infusion of big public and infrastructure development expenditures. It ushers for a transformation from impoverished to lower middle income group and to middle income group people. It may serve as a strong back - up support for the be obliged flop urban market.