Dynamics of Selling Fresh Produce Online: The Farmers' Perspective

Date

6-2020

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Jewel Joanna S. Cabardo

Committee Member

Jewel Joanna S. Cabardo, Remund Jordan D. Labios, Renen Szilardo De Guzman

Abstract

This study regarding the dynamics of selling fresh produce online in the farmer's perspective aimed to: (1) present the profile of farmers involved in online selling of fresh produce; (2) determine the reasons why farmers engage in and how they became involved; (3) describe the marketing terms and arrangement with the farmers’ online sellers; (4) determine the farmers’ costs and benefits in online selling fresh produce; (5) identify the issues and concerns of farmers regarding their overall experience with their respective online sellers; and (6) formulate recommendations that would address the issues and concerns raised in the study.

An exploratory and descriptive research design was used in this study to meet each objective and was discussed based on the empirical analysis and implications of the results. The respondents of this study were two farming cooperatives from Benguet: Bosigan Multipurpose Cooperative and Fresh Crop Agriculture Cooperative. There had been limitations during the conduct of the study due to the global health crisis that had stricken the country during the time period.

Overall, it had shown that the main drivers of farmers to engage in online selling are rooted on the need for market linkages. The respondent cooperatives had explained that they participate in the set-up because online selling stores of fresh produce offers a relatively justifiable price for their harvests compared to local trading posts. The study had also revealed that despite the lack of safety nets and legal protection in the set-up, farmers still trust such institutions to earn a relatively higher income even if these private platforms purchase only around 1% of their harvests. In addition, some of the farmers in the cooperative struggle to catch up in the technological field that agricultural e commerce requires them to due to their digital illiteracy that is correlated with their age and their acceptance to ICT tools.

Language

English

LC Subject

Agriculture, Economic Aspects

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2020 M17 F47

Document Type

Thesis

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