Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
On the Market Floor
In today’s fresh produce marketing environment, producers and packers need to be constantly aware of developments in the marketplace, be they locally or abroad.
With the rapid pace of change, however, staying abreast of innovations becomes a real challenge. It is impossible, for example, for a single farmer to visit all the trade shows, seminars and farmers’ days on the calendar. Big companies have an advantage here, as they send representatives to these events in an ongoing effort to develop an ‘edge’ to their products.
SMALL PRODUCERS, BIG IDEAS
Innovation is by no means confined to the major players. Numerous smaller producers have found ways to differentiate their products from the rest.
I can think of several excellent examples of local producers who have met market demands through innovation.
Innovation cannot begin, of course, unless one is providing the two fundamentals of marketing: a quality product, and a consistent supply. With this foundation, a farmer can then seek more creative solutions.
Of course, it is never easy for a small grower due to fierce competition and the added costs involved.
THE COST OF INNOVATION
In my farming days, I was constantly looking for new ways to present my fruit and vegetables to the market. I had the two basic requirements in place, but adding those innovative extras wasn’t easy. Sometimes I succeeded; other times I failed. Either way it cost money, so I naturally hoped that my successes made up for my losses.
Lack of sufficient funds was a constant stumbling block for me, and sometimes resulted in an exciting concept floundering when I tried it.
For me, the important thing was not to give up looking for new ideas in the industry after a few failures.
I generally found the ideas that worked best were the simple ones that did not always cost a fortune. They simply required a bit of innovative thinking and application to make them all come together.
• Michael Cordes is an agricultural journalist, consultant, trainer and former farmer. Email him at farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. Subject line: Market floor.