Marketing Farm Products 313
Marketing Farm Products
To sell their products, farmers need reliable roads, transportation to markets,
and fair prices. Changing government policies to support small farmers may
take a long time. But there are many ways farmers can organize for fair
prices, while working to gain more government support.
Local markets and international markets
Small farmers often sell to a middle buyer and get very little money for their
product. Governments may offer support to stop growing traditional crops like
maize and rice, and instead grow cash crops like sugar, coffee, or cacao for
international markets. But the earnings from cash crops are uncertain. If the
international price drops, you may have no money and nothing to eat.
For many farmers, producing food crops for local
and regional markets can offer a steady
source of income.
Cooperative marketing
One way to make sure there are good
prices and food security is to form
a cooperative or a marketing
association with other farmers.
When farmers sell their products
together, they can better control
the prices they get for their
crops, and reduce the costs of
transportation and marketing. Most
countries have rules about how to
form a cooperative or association.
Marketing associations share the labor and
expense of getting produce to consumers,
and lower costs for all members.
It is important to work with people you trust to make sure everyone carries
out her or his responsibilities. It is also important to agree on rules that give
everyone a voice in making decisions and a fair share of the earnings.
Value-added products
Companies that process foods and farm products make a lot of money that
could be made by farmers instead. When farmers process crops into products
for sale, such as dried fruit, dried and packaged plant medicines, jams and
jellies, honey, cheese, baskets, furniture, and so on, this is called value-added
production because you are adding value to the crops you have grown.
Buying the equipment needed to process foods and finding a market for
value-added products can be difficult. A cooperative can make this easier.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012