“ CONSUMER ATTITUDE TOWARDS BRIQUETTE COOKING STOVE ”-AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Dr. T. Jeyanthi Vijayarani 1 and T. Andichi 2 . 1. Associate Professor, Research Centre of Commerce, Fatima College, Madurai-625018. 2. Assisstant Professor, Department of Commerce, Mangayarkarasi College, Paravai, Madurai. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History


Statement Of The Problem:-
The mission of the Harvest Fuel Initiative is to facilitate the market-based approach to the large-scale and widespread use of efficient technologies and sustainable solid biomass fuel alternatives that can help alleviate poverty, improve health, and protect the environment. Today's world high quality products that socially and economically benefit low and middle-income households and organizations looking for energy and cost saving solutions need to be focused. More than two billion people use bio-fuels such as wood, crop residue, and dung as their primary energy source for domestic needs such as heating and cooking. Bio-fuels are carbon neutral sources of renewable energy, but, the inefficient burning of wood is responsible for a significant fraction of global black carbon. Solutions such as solar stoves and ovens have great limitations regarding low energy, blackout times, and size.
The briquette cooking stove is a wonderful invention that has saved the cooking time for millions of people and organization. It has become a prestigious product in the new era of modernization. A large percentage of world population continues to use biomass in traditional cook stoves for cooking needs, low efficiency and high emissions from this result in adverse health and socio-economic impact. Though improved cook stoves have been developed, the environmental impact was not reduced. So, there is a need for a new innovation which can be accomplished with the help of the briquette cooking stove. Hence, the study is taken up.

Objective Of The Study:-
The main objectives of the study is to analyse the consumer attitude towards briquette cooking stove.

Scope Of The Study:-
The scope of the study is to analyse the consumer preference of briquette cooking stove among the hotels in Madurai city. The study encompasses and analysis of the level of satisfaction, reason for preferring and also the reason for switching over.

Research Design and Methodology:-
The study includes only primary data. The data have been collected from 100 respondents through questionnaire method in Madurai city on the basis of convenience sampling method.
Frame work of analysis:-Percentage analysis, ANOVA, Chi-square test, Garrett's Ranking Technique, Intensity value is used to analyze the primary data.

Type of fuel previously used:-
In earlier days, people used various types of fuel for their heating and cooking processes. The types of fuel previously used are analysed by using Garrett's Ranking techniques and given in Table 1. From table 1, it is noted that, cow dung has become the first type of fuel used previously and is proved with the garret's score of 59.68. Firewood is the second fuel mostly used by the respondents (Garrets score 56.71). The third fuel cited by the respondents is the charcoal (Garrets score 51.07). Cashew shells have got the fourth rank (Garrets score 45.16). Groundnut shells and kerosene has got the fifth and six ranks respectively. Liquid petroleum gas has been cited lastly by the respondents with the garret score (43.85).
Reasons for switching over to briquette cooking stove:-Briquettes are a common type of solid fuel, largely replacing sodas of raw peat as a domestic fuel. These briquettes consist of shredded peat, compressed to form a virtually smokeless, slow burning, easily stored and transported fuel. Although often used as the sole fuel for a fire, they are also used to quickly and easily light a coal fire. Biomass briquettes are made from agricultural waste and are a replacement for fossil fuels such as oil or coal, and can be used to heat boilers in manufacturing plants, and also have applications in developing countries. Biomass briquettes are a renewable source of energy and avoid adding fossil carbon to the atmosphere. The reasons for switch over to briquette cooking stove are presented in Table 2 Table 2, it is inferred that, briquette cooking stove reduces cooking fuel cost is the first reason represented by the respondents with the garret's score of 70.61. Secondly, the respondents switch over to briquette cooking stove as it reduces cooking time (garrets score 57.11). The third reason cited by the respondents is the easy handling of briquette stove (garrets score 54.73). The respondents have given the reason of No fly ash (garrets score 53.74) as the fourth reason. Safety is chosen as the fifth reason felt by the respondents with garret's score of 52.81.

Sources of information:-
Sources are the main thing which can give information about everything or anything. Information search is one of the important process of consumer's buying decision. Sources are nothing but the elements through which one can get the information for satisfying themselves. The sources of information about the briquette cooking stove are given in Table 3  Since the calculated value of χ 2 (2.345) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=3) is greater than table value (9.49) the alternative hypothesis is accepted. Hence it is concluded that there is no significant relationship between sources of getting information about briquette cooking stove.
Size of briquette cooking stove:-Briquette cooking stoves are new generation cooking stoves which are used to replace the conventional cooking stoves. The biomass briquette cooking stoves which are considered an economic fuel is available in small, medium, and large size. Table 4 shows the size of briquette cooking stove.  Table 4 it is inferred that 42 per cent of the respondents use small size briquette stoves. Almost, 29 per cent of the respondents equally use medium and large size briquette cooking stoves.

Relationship between the income and the size of briquette cooking stove.
To find out the relationship between the income and the size of briquette cooking stove Chi-square test is applied. Table 5 shows the income and the size of briquette cooking stove. Ho: There is no significant relationship between the income and the size of the briquette cooking stove.
Since the calculated value of χ 2 (46.421) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=6) is greater than table value (12.6) the null hypothesis is rejected. Hence it is concluded that there is a significant relationship between the income and the size of the briquette cooking stove.

Relationships between occupation and size of briquette cooking stove.
To find out the relationship between the occupation and the size of briquette cooking stove Chi-square test is applied. Table 6 show the occupation and size of briquette cooking stove. Ho: There is no significant relationship between the occupation and the size of briquette cooking stove.
Since the calculated value of χ 2 (31.385) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=6) is lesser than table value (12.6) the alternative hypothesis is rejected. Hence it is concluded that there is a significant relationship between the occupation and the size of briquette cooking stove.

Relationship between the daily schedules of cooking process and the size of briquette cooking stove.
To find out the relationship between the daily schedule of cooking process and the size of briquette cooking stove Chi-square test is applied. Table 7 shows the daily schedule of cooking process and the size of briquette cooking stove.  Morning  14  4  1  19  Afternoon  11  11  6  28  Evening  0  2  1  3  Night  1  2  0  3  All  16  10  21  47  Total  42  29  29 100 Ho: There is no significant relationship between the daily schedule of cooking process and the size of briquette cooking stove.
Since the calculated value of χ 2 (21.070) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=8) is greater than table value (15.5) the null hypothesis is rejected. Hence it is concluded that there is a significant relationship between daily schedule of cooking process and the size of the briquette cooking stove.

Frequency of usage:-
Consumers use briquette stove according to their needs and requirements depending upon the nature of application. Table 8 shows the frequency of usage.

Size and frequency of usage:-
To analyse the relationship between the size of briquette cooking stove and the frequency of usage one way ANOVA is applied. Ho: There is no significant relationship between the size and the frequency of usage.  (3.88), so the null hypothesis is accepted. Therefore it is inferred that, there is no significant relationship between the size and the frequency of usage briquette cooking stove.

Relationship between the occupation and the frequency of usage
To find out the relationship between the occupation and the frequency of usage Chi-square test is applied. Table 10 shows the occupation and the frequency of usage of briquette cooking stove.  Households  13  2  0  1  0  16  Canteen  27  5  6  3  3  44  Restaurants  15  3  5  0  2  25  Catering  11  0  4  0  0  15  Total  66  10  15  4  5 100 Source: Primary data Ho: There is no significant relationship between the occupation and the frequency of usage of briquette cooking stove.
Since the calculated value of χ 2 (11.947) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=12) is lesser than table value (21.0) the null hypothesis is accepted. Hence it is concluded that there no a significant relationship between the occupation and the frequency of usage of briquette cooking stove.

Benefits brought by briquette cooking stove.
The negative impacts are reduced by using improved cook stoves and fuels. Briquette cooking stoves bring change to the environment and changes to the users. The benefits are shown in Table 11. Since the calculated value of χ 2 (85.424) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=5) is greater than table value (11.1) the null hypothesis is rejected. Hence it is concluded that there is a significant relationship in ranks assigned by different respondents regarding the benefits that are brought by briquette cooking stove.
Reasons for preferring briquette cooking stove:-Briquette cooking stove support sustainability and is a viable alternative to the stoves. These stoves are specially designed and are named for durability and can with stands300kgsofweight. Depending on the holding capacity of 1969 briquettes are prepared from the minimum to the maximum. As it is eco-friendly it is free from fumes. Briquette cooking stoves are available at affordable prices depending on the needs of the consumers. The reasons for the preference of briquette cooking stoves are shown in table 12.  Table 12 it is understood that energy saving is the first reason cited by the respondents with the intensity value of 207. Nature saving have got the second rank with the intensity value of 190. The respondents have considered affordable price as the third reason. Eco-friendliness and attractive models are the fourth and the fifth reason expressed by the respondents. Durability has got the six ranks with the intensity score of 165.

Relationship between the income and the reasons for preferring of briquette cooking stove.
As the income is the significant determine, to find out whether the income has any influence on the reasons for preferring briquette cooking stove, the income and the reasons for preferring briquette cooking stove is given in  There is no significant relationship between the income and the reasons for preferring the briquette cooking stove.
Since the calculated value of χ 2 (4.025) at 5 percent level of significance (d.f=6) is lesser than table value (12.6) the null hypothesis is accepted. Hence it is concluded that there is no significant relationship between income and reasons for preferring of briquette cooking stove.

Relationship between the occupation and the reasons for preferring of briquette cooking stove.
To find out the relationship between the occupation and the reasons for preferring of briquette cooking stove Chisquare test is applied. Table 14 shows the occupation and the reason for preferring of briquette cooking stove.