Awareness to Adoption: Factors Shaping Fortified Rice Consumption in Coimbatore’s Public Distribution System
T. Haarshiny *
Department of Agricultural Engineering, RVS Technical Campus, Sulu, Coimbatore-02, India.
D. Rajkumar
Department of Agricultural Engineering, RVS Technical Campus, Sulu, Coimbatore-02, India.
S. Nila
Department of Food Technology, SNS College of Engineering, Coimbatore-02, India.
V. Ajeethkumar
Department of Vegetable Sciences, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore-02, India.
R. Vishnupriya
Department of Food Technology, Sri Sakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore-02, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Fortification is a method of adding minerals and micronutrients in food products. The study focuses on awareness level and factors that influence fortified rice purchases through the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Coimbatore.
Study Design: Explorative research design.
Place and Duration of Study: Coimbatore was the study area and this study was conducted between the time period of November 2025 to February 2026.
Methodology: A purposive sample method was used to gather primary data from 130 consumers across five zones of Coimbatore district using a scheduled interview. Factor analysis was employed to identify the primary factors that influence the purchase and consumption of fortified rice.
Results: The findings revealed that nearly 68 per cent of consumers were less aware about the health benefits of fortified rice. Factor analysis identified five major components which includes Nutritional & Health Motivation, Availability & Price Convenience, Perceived Quality & Value, Sensory Experience and Peer & Community Influence which explained 81.88 per cent of the total variation. Nutritional and health motivation appeared as the most impactful factor, emphasizing the role of enhanced micronutrients, immune advantages, and product trust in promoting adoption.
Conclusion: The findings emphasize the necessity of targeted awareness initiatives, sustained affordability and accessibility, improved product quality and sensory attributes, and leveraging community influence to increase consumer acceptance and use of fortified rice, thereby contributing to better nutrition and public health outcomes.
Keywords: Consumer, fortified rice, factor analysis and malnutrition