Local Markets of Rural Mazandaran Province: the Viewpoints of Sellers and Buyers

This research aims at studying contributions of rural local markets from buyers/seller's viewpoint as well as their impact on rural people's subsistence and economic condition. It makes use of a descriptive survey method and a statistical society including all clients (sellers and buyers) in the local markets of 30 villages in the Mazandaran province. As shown by research results, there are more than fifteen types of goods supplied in the rural local markets, the seller's average monthly income gained through selling them is estimated about 230 thousand tomans (US$ 250). Appropriate seasons and months to supply the goods respectively include autumn (October/ November), summer (September), winter (March), and spring (June). Only 21 percent of the rural people tend to sell their products either to businessmen/women of the local markets or to the buyers in a direct manner. As mentioned by 90 percent of the customers of the local markets, advantages of purchasing goods in such markets include availability of goods, lack of carrying costs, nearness to living/working places, diversification of goods and their relatively suitable prices compared to urban markets and rural stores.