5 ways you can sell your Farm Produce

How can I sell my farm produce?

This is one of the biggest questions facing farmers in Kenya. You might be an excellent farmer when it comes to planting crops, but when it comes to finding market for them, that’s where things get a bit tricky. The key to selling farm products is that one has to understand the products you are selling. If you don’t know the products benefits this means you will be missing chances to woo prospective customers. Knowing your farm products also help you to answer any technical question presented by the customer.

There are five (5) main ways you can sell your farm produce;

1. Direct farm sales or on farm sales.

This is whereby a farmer sells his/her produce on the farm after harvest and can simply be done via a farm stand. This is the simplest and most convenient method of making sales since one does not have to carry produce anywhere since customers are readily available and buy from the farm therefore saves on transport costs.

2. Restaurants and hotels.

Restaurants and Hotels in Kenya are always buying farm produce. Without farm produce there is no food and this means no business for the hotels. You can easily find market in a hotel or restaurant by visiting one and checking out the menu and type of food served. This will help you get information of what you can supply.  Submit a request to supply later to the Chef/Head Cook inquiring if you can supply your produce to them. Bring samples of the products to the hotel and book an appointment with them to come and look at your products so that they can build confidence in your products. Finally you arrange with the buyer schedule of delivery and prices.

3. Distribution to institutions.

If you are a medium/large scale farmer, you can apply for tender to supply to supermarkets, hospitals, County governments, Universities and Secondary Schools. Market is constantly assured in institutions due to the large population. Clinching a supply tender will be a game changer to your profit margins.

4. Food distributor.

Food distributors provide a link between the farmer and the market. They help reduce the amount of labour used when dealing with direct marketing. To start selling to a distributor, one has to ensure that the product is legal and that there is proper documentation and packaging standards. Good communication with distributors on pricing and they will collect the products is very crucial for a long term relationship/ partnership in agribusiness.

5. Through the internet.

The internet makes everything easier these days and the farmers have seen this. They are going digital. Advertising products through the internet is now a viable for marketing tool for selling your farm produce. The internet increases farm visibility for both local and international marketing. One can also sell directly on the web to consumers by shipping them the products and offering pick up. Example of a selling produce in Kenya website is www.mkulimayoung.co.ke

I hope you found this article useful. Also check How to find Market in Kenya for your Produce