Marketing Vegetables in Ujanpara

Adar Ali is the president of the committee that runs the vegetable and rice collection point in Ujanpara, a village in Laxmichar Union, Jamalpur district. In 2011 under the Food Facility project[1], farmers in the village received training in marketing and learned how to explore market opportunities. After the training, the farmers decided to try and sell their produce together. They learned that a collection point would be of great use to sell collectively. Adar Ali was a very active participant in the training and had been in the forefront to motivate other farmers to start selling together. In June 2011 they established the village collection point and elected a 7-member committee to run the collection point and represent farmers. Members were selected based on their trustworthiness, active involvement and leadership qualities and Adar Ali was elected as their president. Under the present Cross-border project, 10 more farmer groups from surrounding villages Maddhapara and Mollahpara have been trained and joint the collection point. 

 

Collection point committee members with Adar Ali on the right

The collection point is operating from a rented place.  It is currently used for both collection and storage. Vegetables can be stored for a maximum two days before buyers are coming. Long-term storage is not possible as there are no cooling facilities. The collection point is the only market place in the area. The nearest market place is in Jamalpur, the district capital.

The committee members explained that collective selling has brought many advantages. “We all safe time! We can avoid manipulation by traders. We get a better price and so a better income from our produce. All the farmers in the community are benefitting. Sometimes we pay farmers that require instant cash, up front but normally the final payment is done after the sale is completed. Also the buyers are benefitting from the collection point. We now established a good network with local buyers but also with buyers at regional and national level.” 

A woman farmer bringing her gourds to a trader waiting at the collection point.

Adar Ali found the collection point also encouraging for women. They are much more keen to be involved in vegetable farming as they can sell their own harvest without their husbands or sons going all the way to the market in Jamalpur. “Women beneficiaries are nowadays actively involved in selling their vegetables.”

Adar Ali amidst farmers bringing their tomatoes 

at the collection point.

Besides all the advantages there are also risks involved in running the collection point. Adar Ali points out that they are thinking about what to do in case of unforeseen damage, like for example keeping important phone numbers ready, put fire fighting measures in place, etc. The committee has more plans for the future. “We are exploring to find a big space with food storage and processing facility and we wish to establish linkages with the HOTTEX Company[2] so that we can export our vegetables”.

Seeing the good results, adjacent villages have invited Adar Ali to help them establishing collection points and plan for better marketing. He seriously considers this, as it would increase his responsibility and his social recognition.                                                                              

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[1] The Food Facility project was an EU funded project implemented in Bangladesh (2010-2011) by Concern Universal, Dhaka Ahsania Mission and Intercooperation. It was the predecessor project of the current Cross-border TATI&MD project.

[2] The HOTTEX Foundation is a registered company Ltd. established in 1993 by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Foundation is a “not for profit” organization organized and set up for the development, promotion and marketing for expandable horticultural/agricultural produce to generate income and employment for farmers.