Are Middlemen exploiting us or are they fulfilling an important role?

[Maureen W]

Agriculture supply chain is one that has been dominated by middlemen sitting between farmers and consumers(buyers). They have earned significant power such that they affect the price paid to the farmer and the one paid by the final consumer. Their power mostly comes from that they are better informed about market conditions. On the other hand they provide quick transactions with the farmers and they bare the transport cost. What is your experience with middlemen as a farmer ?

 

[Ann W]

There are a few good type middlemen, but many are the exploitative ones.. my experience with them have not been very good since I did not know the market prices I made half of the profits.

 

[Ronald Ombachi]

If you lack market information especially about prices, brokers will exploit you to death. I would love to see us ourselves as an online community of farmers make use of the Market place that we have been provided for on this platform to enlighten each other for our own good. As a poultry farmer, I would love to share the market prices so we can understand the trends to help each other make better decisions for more income

 

[nedward]

Would advice farmers capable of selling their produce as a group to quickly do so. This is the sure way of breaking the cord and selling direct to the final consumer. This pushes the middle men to do farming too.

 

[Mutayomba denis]

Agriculture supply chain is one that has been dominated by middlemen sitting between farmers and consumers(buyers). They have earned significant power such that they affect the price paid to the farmer and the one paid by the final consumer. Their power mostly comes from that they are better informed about market conditions. On the other hand they provide quick transactions with the farmers and they bare the transport cost. What is your experience with middlemen as a farmer ?

However much they contribute but to some extent they have led to over exploiting farmer some of my experience those who give loans to be paid after harvesting at they charge biggest interest rate many farmers harvest as they sell at acheaper price determined by those middlemen who buy and stocker and later sell so as farmers we have remained poor due to these middlemen lets also learn to stock and transport our produce to town

 

[Ann W]

@Mutayomba denis, transportation of produce to market has been a nightmare to us. bad roads, expensive costs. I lost about Ksh. 90,000 while taking melons to the market. If we get to crack the puzzle of farm to buyer operation that will be the greatest achievement. This will wipe out middlemen.

 

[Mutayomba denis]

Transportation of delicate produce like melons atleast needs wooden crates to avoid compression and damages

 

[Ronald Ombachi]

@Mutayomba denis, transportation of produce to market has been a nightmare to us. bad roads, expensive costs. I lost about Ksh. 90,000 while taking melons to the market. If we get to crack the puzzle of farm to buyer operation that will be the greatest achievement. This will wipe out middlemen.

Sorry @Ann W, that was a huge loss for going to one person due to government sleeping in its job to create proper infrastructures for farmers who contribute the most to the country wealth.

 

[RichardOpondo]

Most of the production Farmers do take an average of 3 months...with a month to go Farmers should take advantage of the reduced workload to start sourcing markets on their own ....am assuming that they identified a need before planting !

 

[RichardOpondo]

Not all middlemen (or intermediaries ) are bad....imagine some body who is ready to organise a market, Transport and sometimes storage and God Willing ..still pay us....its better than watching the whole harvest go to waste.....even the kids though quiet ...will be looking at you like " kwaani hauku kuwa na plan na hizi vitu?"