Did you know that you can start marketing your produce before you even begin planting? Marketing is very necessary in every business and that includes farm enterprises.
Most businesses which fail are mostly due to poor marketing. A lot of farmers that we approached declared marketing as the oxygen of their farms. As a fruit and vegetable grower never undermine the power of marketing even if you are a small scale grower.
Marketing means knowing and understanding your target market.
Farm growers are one of the most needed enterprises in the world,yet needing it doesn't make it immune to being unsuccessful. In fact, it being the most needed should encourage you to do more.
That is exactly where planning and marketing plays a major role. Going back to the business plan you will realise that marketing is one of the most important aspects.
To be a successful fruits and vegetables grower, learn as much as you need about your market. Farmers go through a lot on a day to day basis but the thought of harvesting season keeps them going.
Harvesting is to farmers what pay day is to corporate business employees.As much as successful harvesting is every farmer's goal, profit is also another goal only that it is on a different level of fulfilment.
Farming is a career like any other career,profit is important. Imagine having a successful harvest of produce and no one to sell to.
Your hard work ends up being all for nothing because your produce ends up going nowhere there for as a farmer you would have fed no one.
If one takes marketing their produce lightly then their hard work will mean nothing. You do not want to end up selling meat in a vegetarian country.
That is is why marketing is a necessity. Find out what the people in your community like,interact with them, listen to them and put their preferences before yours.
Small scale farm growers make the mistake of growing their produce first and market them on a much later stage,sometimes they don't even market the produce but harvest and sell at a corner in their community.
This results in way less people buying and with each day passing by the farmer is forced to sell for a lesser price than the initial selling price because the produce are less fresher than they were on the first day. The worst case scenario is ending up giving the produce for free to friends,family and neighbours.
That is exactly what hinders the farm enterprise from growing to its full potential.
The day small scale farmers realise that they too have the potential to excel, is the day that they will stop discriminating their potential.
In farm enterprise what plays a bigger role is the quality of the produce. If you give it your best and go the right procedures such as the right fertilizer for the soil, Proper disease management and harvest practices.
The good news about growing quality fruits and vegetables is that large fruit and vegetables packers will be interested in signing up a contract with you as their grower. It is vital to find outlets to sell your produce. Before planting anything go to your nearest mall and visit your grocery markets, look at their fruits and vegetables,talk to the store manager and find out all there is to know about their fruits and vegetables.
Ask as many questions as needed, don't be shy. Be humble and very friendly as that will help the manager get comfortable around you and that's how you build the supply relationship.
Small scale growers should never look at themselves as small time growers,this will limit their dreams and visions. Always give your best and the rest shall follow. Remember that the efforts you put in your work will show in the results that will come out.
Do your research,know what to plant and where to take it after harvesting. Washing your produce before delivery will increase your quality. Remember that at the end of it all, quality is the key word.
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