| Variable | Wholesalers (n = 45) | Retailers (n = 70) | |
| Sex | Male | 28 (62.22) | 13 (18.57) |
| Female | 17 (37.78) | 57 (81.43) | |
| Type of business | Sole proprietor | 43 (95.56) | 70 (100.00) |
| Limited company | 2 (4.44) |
| |
| Business Experience | <1 year | 3 (6.67) | 7 (10.00) |
| 1 - 3 years | 7 (15.56) | 18 (25.71) | |
| 3 - 5 years | 9 (20.00) | 15 (21.43) | |
| >5 years | 24 (53.33) | 30 (42.86) | |
| Mode of procurement | Procurement from the farm gate | 5 (11.11) | 4 (5.71) |
| Supplier delivers to trader | 15 (33.33) | 39 (55.71) | |
| Middlemen delivers | 25 (55.00) | 27 (38.57) | |
| Forms of products procured | Milled rice | 27 (60.00) | 70 (100.00) |
| Paddy rice | 18 (40.00) |
| |
| Barriers to entry | Official and unofficial regulations | 15 (33.33) | 32 (45.71) |
| Funding | 41 (91.11) | 53 (75.71) | |
| Access to information | 8 (17.78) | 23 (32.86) | |
| Sources of capital | Credit | 35 (77.78) | 47 (67.14) |
| Friends/relatives (equity) | 10 (22.22) | 15 (21.43) | |
| Sell household assets |
| 8 (11.43) | |
| Challenges in accessing credit | Long-term procedures | 27 (60.00) | 46 (65.71) |
| Lack of collaterals | 37 (82.22) | 62 (88.57) | |
| High-interest rates | 34 (75.56) | 58 (82.86) | |
| Lack of proper information | 18 (40.00) | 36 (51.43) | |
| Stock | Available | 45 (100.00) | 22 (31.43) |
| Not available |
| 48 (68.57) | |
| Means of access to information on rice prices in different markets | Print and electronic media | 11 (24.44) |
|
| Wholesalers | - | 62 (82.67) | |
| Mobile phone | 42 (93.33) | 43 (61.43) | |
| Fellow traders (colleagues) | 34 (75.56) | 60 (85.71) | |
| Others | 7 (15.56) | 17 (24.29) | |