The research assesses the market potential, buying behavior, and satisfaction levels among farmers regarding Water Soluble Fertilizers (WSF) in the Gadwal district of Telangana, India. In the context of increasing demand for effective and sustainable farming inputs, WSF has emerged as a critical innovation, enhancing nutrient absorption, crop yield, and environmental sustainability. The main aim of this study is to analyze determining factors such as price, brand, availability, and efficacy in influencing farmers' purchase decisions, along with their satisfaction levels and barriers to adoption. A mixed-method approach, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods, was employed. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to farmers in the area, while secondary data were obtained from scientific journals and government publications. The research applied descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing to assess relationships between key variables. Results show that farmers' buying behavior is strongly influenced by product quality, availability, and price, with brand image and technical support playing secondary roles. Despite the benefits of WSF—such as ease of application, improved nutrient use efficiency, and compatibility with modern irrigation systems—its adoption is hindered by high initial costs, low awareness, variability in product quality, and compatibility issues with conventional farming systems. However, farmers who have adopted WSF report improved crop quality, higher yields, and overall satisfaction, reaffirming the potential of WSF as a sustainable agricultural input

Water Soluble Fertilizers, Farmers Satisfaction, Buying Behavior, Market Potential, Sustainable Agriculture, Precision Farming, Nutrient Use Efficiency

Findings based on the demographic profile of the respondents •The demographic characteristics of the respondents are representative of varied age, education, and experience in farming, which together determine their mindset towards the adoption of Water-Soluble Fertilizers (WSF) in Gadwal. The dominance of middle-aged and newly active farmers is reflective of stability and generational change in the farming scenario, which allows room for the integration of technology. •The participating group has a slightly higher female than male composition, reflecting changing gender roles within farm communities. The gender pattern is indicative of the need for an inclusive agricultural intervention design that accommodates the views and needs of women and men. •A reasonably high level of educational achievement—especially among graduates—indicates an educated population of farmers that can absorb and adopt enhanced farming inputs such as WSF. This educational diversity enhances knowledge-led adoption and necessitates targeted information dissemination and training. •The combination of commercial, subsistence, and mixed farming systems shows a multifunctional farming system in Gadwal. Dominance of mixed farming demonstrates risk management and resource diversification by farmers, affecting their input decision-making and economic resilience. •Farm sizes are primarily below 10 acres, which indicates a prevalence of small and marginal farmers. This pattern of landholding sets the context where affordability, efficiency in inputs, and access heavily determine the market potential for WSF among small farmers. •Income distribution indicates that a considerable number of farmers have incomes less than ₹1,00,000 per annum, reflecting limited financial ability. Such levels of income require cost-efficient, high-return inputs such as WSF and government support to enable sustainable adoption. •Crop diversity is even, with a preference towards vegetable production. This reflects a trend towards market-oriented and short-duration crops, which is consistent with the planned application of WSF for intensive production cycles. •Irrigation practices are mainly conventional, with borewells and canals being most prevalent. The existence of sprinkler systems, however, indicates a new trend towards water-saving measures accompanying WSF use. •Therefore, if access, education, and systemic market restrictions are addressed, the research highlights the potential of water-soluble fertilizers as a revolutionary agricultural input in Gadwal. This points to a calculated course for enhancing farming methods and raising farmer incomes in the area. Results based on objectives Findings based on objective 1: The research determined some of the major influences that impact farmers when they make purchasing decisions of water-soluble fertilizers. Of these, ease of access and product availability emerged as top of mind in the decision process. Farmers also have a high inclination toward using known brands, often influenced by past use experience or word of mouth from other members within their community. Cost is still an element, but of less importance than trust and convenience. These results confirm that farmers in the area are concerned about products that are readily accessible and reliably effective. The findings highlight the influence of effective distribution networks and brand interaction programs on the adoption of WSF. Finding based on objective 2: The study reveals that there is increasing potential for water-soluble fertilizers in the domestic market. Farmers are increasingly seeing the benefits of using such fertilizers, particularly those who are more commercially oriented or have larger or diversified farms. The readiness to adopt new agricultural inputs seems to be affected by education, farming practices, and overall exposure to modern techniques. While adoption continues to grow, the results are encouraging, with potential for growth if obstacles such as affordability and accessibility are successfully overcome. The research highlights the importance of raising awareness and special marketing to continue building WSF's market share

B. Venkateshwar Reddy, N. Deepthi and Kalyan (2025). A Study on Market Potential, Farmers' Buying Behavior, and Satisfaction Level Towards Water Soluble Fertilizers (WSF) in Gadwal District, Telangana. Biological Forum, 17(7): 80-92