By Joshua Kato
It is just over one month away from the festive Christmas season. Many farmers have successfully reared livestock, while others have food crops nearly ready.
However, most of them face challenges with getting market for their produce. To get a good deal, farmers must start to look for those markets now.
Door-to-door marketing
Madina Lunkuse, a popular poultry farmer in Namugongo in Wakiso district, says these markets are predominantly found within the community and in neighbourhoods. With this method, a farmer moves from house to house, telling potential customers about his products.
“This type of marketing is driven by the need to get income to settle a one-off financial need or even create regular customers,” Lunkuse says.
For example, there are farmers selling chicken on mobile pick-up trucks. One can sell other products, such as vegetables or matooke, using the door-to-door system.
One needs to factor in the cost of hiring the truck plus paying one or two people who do the actual selling. However, note that in some local councils, one may require a licence.
Secondary markets
These are big permanent markets constructed in big cities and towns. They include large abattoirs for livestock too.
In Kampala, such markets include St Balikuddembe, Wandegeya, Nateete, Nakawa, Kalerwe and Busega. Gulu, Masaka, Lira, Mbarara, Arua and Fort Portal have such markets as well.
“This is where city residents buy their Christmas food from,” Sarah Namulindwa, a trader in St Balikuddembe Market, says.
For a farmer to sell to these large markets, he has to visit and identify his customers before he brings his products to them.
“Unlike the rural, mobile markets where anybody can bring products on market day and sell them, it is impossible in the big city markets. You need a permanent stall or you should have identified a trader who will take your product,” Namulindwa says.
Mobile markets
Madina Lunkuse, a popular poultry farmer in Namugongo in Wakiso district, says mobile markets are those where farmers from neighbouring areas gather at a common trading centre or space to sell their produce.
“In this market, there are no permanent stalls and the fees are small,” Ibra Kizito, who operates in a market at Wobulenzi, says.
