Product mix and sales maximization of rice mill entrepreneurs in Ampara coastal area, eastern province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

This paper aims at knowing different types of brands sold by rice mill owners; finding out mode of packaging and identifying way of quality maintenance. Exploratory and conclusive research is designed by the researcher. Target population: Primary Sampling Units (PSU) are all the research sites, i.e. the small and medium rice mills located in Ampara Coastal area. Secondary Sampling Units (PSU) are all the respondents i.e. mill owners who own small and medium rice mills in this area. Sample size of the PSU is selected by using cumulative total method. SSU is selected from the selected PSUs. Of the 182 rice mills, researcher has selected 88 rice mills as PSU. Brands sold byrice mill owners are White Long, Short White, Red Samba, Red Bolai (Autocaran), White Samba, Keeri Samba, AT Red, and Baasmadi. Rice mill owners use white, lightyellow and light green bags for packaging their rice. Rice mill owners maintain via sand free rice, stone free rice and black free rice by respective machines. Pearson Correlation has been conducted between sales of types of brand and quantity of Kilogrammes sold for those types of brand. Values of Pearson correlation between Sales for White Long, Short White, Red Samba, Red Bolai, White Samba, Keeri Samba and AT Red and weights of them show that there is a strong positive correlation. There is weak correlation between the sales of Baasmadi and the weights of Baasmadi. Sig. (p values) of Sales for White Long, Short White, Red Samba, Red Bolai, White Samba, Keeri Samba and AT Red are 0.000. These values are less than O.OS except Sales for Baasmadi. It is determined that that method of quality maintenance population category i.e. sand free rice population, stone free rice population and black free rice population differs in terms of their sales. Sig. (p values) of Sales for White Long, Short White, Red Samba, Red Bolai, White Samba, Keeri Samba and AT Red are 0.000. These values are less than 0.05 except Sales for Baasmadi. It is determined that colour of packaging (rice bag) population category i.e. white packaging population, lightyellow population and light green population differs in terms of their sales.