(a) (i) Explain marketing in agriculture. (ii) Mention five stages involved in marketing agricultural produce...
(a) (i) Explain marketing in agriculture. (ii) Mention five stages involved in marketing agricultural produce (b) Describe briefly four agents of marketing
Explanation
(a)(1) Marketing in Agriculture involves a series of business activities or services associated with the transfer( agricultural products: from the producers to the consumers It includes selling of farm inputs to farmers or purchasing of farm inputs e.g. seeds, fertilisers and disposal of agricultural produce to the ultimate consumers or users
(ii) Stages involved in marketing agricultural produce are: (i) Farm level processing (ii) sorting (iii) packaging (iv) storage /ware housing (v) transportation (vi) advertisement (vii) merchandising (viii) assemblage
(b) Agents of marketing include;(i) Wholesaler: He stocks large quantity of products and sells in large quantities to the retailers or consumers.
(ii) Retailer: The purchases in bulk from wholesaler or producers and sells in small units or quantities.
(iii) Middleman: They purchase from producers or farmers or wholesalers etc. They make produce easily available to the consume Wholesalers and retailers are also regarded as middlemen.
(iv) Marketing cooperative societies: make bulk purchase of agricultural produce and sell at reduced or affordable units to its members, e.g. consumer cooperatives.
(v) Produceers, / farmers: The farmer gets the full benefit of his efforts while consumers get foods at reduced prices even when they are fresh.
(vi) Commodity boards: provide an organised and ready market for various agricultural commodities help, to stabilize prices of farm produce. They also involved in the provision of capital development for farmers from the profit accruing from sales.