Agriculture is one of key role player in economic growth of Bangladesh. More than 87% of rural people in Bangladesh have at least some income from agriculture activities (World Bank, 2016). However, in Bangladesh, small farmers sell their products separately where they do not follow group marketing benefits, therefore, middleman take the advantage of profit from the farmer by giving them lowest price.
There have no structured marketing system for agriculture products. Due to lack of information, storage facility and proper marketing system farmers become force to sell products in low price and become deceit by middleman. It is essential to ensure fair price of farmers and minimize the product purchase cost of consumer for food security. Where whole world is going ahead by taking the technological advantage there our farmers cannot stay behind.
It is essential to ensure agri product fair price from farmers to consumer by introducing digital marketing and monitoring system. Farmers will be able to judge market price for the product if marketing activities can be digitalize. If farmers get a platform to sell their products directly to wholesalers then they will be able to get their value of diligence. For products marketing and market price monitoring, a website (and mobile app) as a platform can be created where farmers, wholesalers and agro transports will remain involve with the system. Resource centers in both wholesale market and community market can be created for assisting or training wholesalers or farmers respectively and also building awareness among farmers as they can inform about their right of getting fair price.
Also, if it would possible to assume the farmer’s specific products cultivation cost initially by the local level agricultural department then other prices could possible to count accordingly. Farmer to wholesaler and wholesaler to consumer product rate can be monitored and destined by the local level agriculture department and market welfare centers respectively.
The awareness building proceedings need to raise from both National to local and local to national level. Programs or meetings can be conducted with the farmers for generating more ideas and for making the whole process more flexible and feasible. Technology based agricultural marketing is essential which can ensure the fair price of farmers, minimize the product purchase cost of consumer, stabilize the product price in market and decrease the number of middleman. At the end a unique place and systematic way is needed in agriculture to deal with the agricultural products.
Writer- Suraiya Yasmin
