Creating a niche in urban rural fresh produce trading
In recent time agribusiness has become a major source of entrepreneurship especially among youths. Tekedia currently in one of its daily archive listed a mind blowing agribusiness idea which involves rural-urban fresh produce trading.
Fresh food produces are highly perishable, susceptible to microbial, insects and rodent infiltration. This leads to loss of freshness, organoleptic degradation, spoilage, and subsequently loss of nutrition and monetary value.
The question posed is “how can we stop this menace?’
The answer requires a holistic approach starting from the farmer.
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The Farmer must learn good agricultural practices of harvesting and post harvest practices.
As an entrepreneur, you have purchased the fresh produce at relatively cheap price. You are tempted to load them of immediately into a truck and transport to big cities, Right?
Not the best move, the first step is onsite sorting; Grade your produce base on freshness. Did you know microorganisms do not fly? The major cause of food spoilage is cross contamination from food already harboring microbes. The sorting step also involves removal of bruised produce because they are more susceptible to microbial degradation.
Secondly, wash your fresh food produce. Wash both the whole produce and sorted produce. Microbes can be reduced to an inert stage by washing. Allow to air dry before packaging. And if possible do not package until you have made preparation for transportation. Know your packaging material. At this stage you probable have several grades of cleaned produce. Do not cross package the produce and never package in an air tight bag. Preferable use open baskets or jute bags.
Did you know you will make more profit from cleaned packaged produce than soil coated produce? Power of value addition.
Lastly if possible transport your produce at night for long trips or early hour of the morning for short distance.
Note on arrival, you should sell your graded produce for different price that way you make more profit
#TheAgriPrenuerSpeaks