Agro- produce market intermediation and financing

BM FRESH PRODUCE SUPPLIER

Bernard Maina

Product range and volumes

French beans 30 tones per week or 120 tones a month

Value in Ksh 1.2 M (17142 US$) and Ksh. 5 m (71428 US$ ) a month.(exchange rate of 1$ = Ksh 70)

Mostly intermediation between export companies

Business level upper lower scale

Product range and volumes cont..

Fresh tomatoes 8 tones a week (32 tones a month) to

supermarkets and 6 tones(24 tones a month) to the informal markets

Produce outsourced directly from over 54 households

French beans pay out Ksh 30 per Kilogram

Employment

Business employs directly 20 employees daily on French beans and 6 employees in tomatoes business daily.

Monthly pay is 60000 weekly (4weeks) = Ksh. 240000 (US$ 3450)

Self employment

Business financing challenges

Inability to get liquid cash to pay small holder producers

Inability to access equipment and trucks due to informalities in getting security items

Post harvest losses due to inaccessibility to credits and loan for cold room

If I had capital ; Always wanted to have a cold room to

reduce post harvest loses. Get more markets and pay farmers

always promptly for the produce sold. Hired bigger office and computers and

more experts to improve my business. Buy more trucks, get more office

equipment, reach more markets