AGRICULTURAL MARKETING Home Page Francais Espanol Contents What's new Marketing policy Market information services Horticultural marketing extension Maize marketing extension Urban food marketing Marketing infrastructure Farm input marketing Marketing networks Marketing/Agribusiness textbooks Training links List of publications Contacts See also Contract farming Marketing costs and margins Export crops Extension videos Food into cities Inventory credit Legislation and marketing Retail markets Structural adjustment Wholesale markets and their management ______ Agricultural Support Systems Division Agriculture Department	A Guide to Market research for agroprocessors Before any agroprocessing venture is started, or before an existing venture decides to expand its product line, an understanding of the market for the planned products is essential. Companies and individual processors need to feel confident that people will accept and want to buy their products. They need to be sure that they can sell what they produce at prices that give them a good profit. They need to have a realistic idea of the quantities they can sell and be sure that the facilities they build and the equipment they buy are suitable for those quantities, being neither far too large nor too small. They need to know where they can sell their products and how best to distribute them to consumers. Last, but not least, they need to be certain that the raw materials, other ingredients and packaging they require will be available when needed, at a price that permits profitable processing and marketing. "Market research for agroprocessors" describes, in fairly simple terms, the market research that agroprocessors can carry out, and some of the ways of doing such research. Market research can never guarantee success but it can certainly increase the likelihood that the new business will turn out to be profitable. It can identify at an early stage those processing ideas that are unlikely to lead to profitable operations. The guide is addressed to entrepreneurs and companies who are planning to develop or expand medium-sized agroprocessing businesses. It is also intended to be used by banks who need to understand the potential market before lending for agroprocessing; by consulting firms and individuals offering market research services in developing countries and by government agencies and policymakers interested in developing the agroprocessing sector. Extension workers and NGOs who are supporting individuals and groups planning to set up small rural processing ventures could also use parts of this guide. Copies of the guide, which is free of charge, can be requested by e-mailing FAO. The guide can also be downloaded here in pdf format (878kb)

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Contents
What's new
Marketing policy
Market information services
Horticultural marketing extension
Maize marketing extension
Urban food marketing
Marketing infrastructure
Farm input marketing
Marketing networks
Marketing/Agribusiness textbooks
Training links
List of publications
Contacts

A Guide to

Market research for agroprocessors

Before any agroprocessing venture is started, or before an existing venture decides to expand its product line, an understanding of the market for the planned products is essential. Companies and individual processors need to feel confident that people will accept and want to buy their products. They need to be sure that they can sell what they produce at prices that give them a good profit. They need to have a realistic idea of the quantities they can sell and be sure that the facilities they build and the equipment they buy are suitable for those quantities, being neither far too large nor too small. They need to know where they can sell their products and how best to distribute them to consumers. Last, but not least, they need to be certain that the raw materials, other ingredients and packaging they require will be available when needed, at a price that permits profitable processing and marketing.

"Market research for agroprocessors" describes, in fairly simple terms, the market research that agroprocessors can carry out, and some of the ways of doing such research. Market research can never guarantee success but it can certainly increase the likelihood that the new business will turn out to be profitable. It can identify at an early stage those processing ideas that are unlikely to lead to profitable operations. The guide is addressed to entrepreneurs and companies who are planning to develop or expand medium-sized agroprocessing businesses. It is also intended to be used by banks who need to understand the potential market before lending for agroprocessing; by consulting firms and individuals offering market research services in developing countries and by government agencies and policymakers interested in developing the agroprocessing sector. Extension workers and NGOs who are supporting individuals and groups planning to set up small rural processing ventures could also use parts of this guide.

Copies of the guide, which is free of charge, can be requested by e-mailing FAO.

The guide can also be downloaded here in pdf format (878kb)