Many farmers decide what to plant based on what they planted last time, or what their neighbours are planting. The result is familiar: everyone harvests at once, the market floods and prices collapse. Planning market-first means starting with the buyer and the price, then working back to the field. Before your next season, answer these five questions.
1. Who will buy it?
Name a real buyer or market before you plant: a local market trader, a school, a hotel, a supermarket supplier, a cooperative or an aggregator. If you cannot name one, talk to buyers first. Ask what they need, in what quantities, how often and at what quality.
2. When will prices be best?
Prices rise and fall with the seasons. When most farmers harvest at the same time, prices drop. If you can time your planting, use irrigation or choose a crop others are not growing, you can sell when supply is lower and prices are better. Track prices at your nearest market for a few weeks before deciding.
3. What will it cost to produce?
List every cost: seed or fingerlings, fertiliser or feed, labour, water, transport and market fees. Compare that total with the price you expect and the quantity you realistically expect to harvest. If the margin is thin, a bad week of prices could wipe it out. Your farm records from past seasons are the best guide here.
4. Can you get it to the buyer in good condition?
Leafy vegetables and fish lose value quickly. Think about how you will harvest, pack, store and transport, and how long it will take. Losses after harvest are one of the biggest hidden costs in farming. Sometimes a crop with a lower price but a longer shelf life earns more in the end.
5. How will you spread your risk?
Avoid putting everything into one crop or one buyer. Consider staggered planting so you harvest over several weeks, mixing a fast cash crop with a steadier one, and agreeing quantities with buyers in advance. Groups and chamas can also negotiate better prices and share transport costs by selling together.
Put it on one page
Write your answers on a single page before you buy any inputs: buyer, target price, expected harvest date, total cost, expected income and your backup plan. It takes an hour and can save a whole season.
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