Marketing Agricultural Produce

8 Grade 10 Agriculture questions on Marketing Agricultural Produce, with worked marking schemes. 8 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   6 marks

   Explain three problems farmers in Kenya face when marketing perishable produce such as tomatoes, and suggest one solution for each.

   (6 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Any THREE problems with a matching solution, 2 marks each (1 problem, 1 solution): - Rapid spoilage because tomatoes are highly perishable; solution: use cool storage, shaded collection points, or sell quickly through a pre-arranged buyer, or process into sauce or paste. - Poor rural roads and high transport costs; solution: bulk produce as a group and hire transport together, or sell through a co-operative that collects from the farm gate. - Exploitation by brokers who dictate low prices; solution: market collectively through a co-operative or group so as to bargain, and use market price information services or mobile phones to know prevailing prices. - Glut and price collapse when everyone harvests at once; solution: stagger planting dates or use greenhouse production to supply in the off-season. - Poor packaging causing bruising and rejection; solution: use crates rather than sacks and grade before packing. - Lack of market information; solution: use farmer groups, extension officers or mobile price platforms to identify buyers in advance. Maximum 6 marks.

2. Question 2

   4 marks

   State four functions of marketing of agricultural produce.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme for this question

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3. Question 3

   3 marks

   Explain three ways in which a farmer in Meru can add value to milk before selling it.

   (3 marks)

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4. Question 4

   4 marks

   Identify four factors that determine the price of maize in a Kenyan market.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Any FOUR, 1 mark each: - Supply of maize on the market, which rises sharply just after harvest. - Demand from consumers, millers and institutions. - Quality and grade of the maize, including moisture content and freedom from aflatoxin. - Season and time of year; prices rise before the next harvest. - Cost of transport from the farm to the market. - Government policy, such as the price offered by the National Cereals and Produce Board, or import duty on maize. - Number of middlemen or brokers between the farmer and the buyer. - Availability of substitutes such as rice or wheat flour. Maximum 4 marks.

5. Question 5

   1 mark

   Which of the following is a marketing function rather than a production function?

   A. Applying manure around the base of each tree

   B. Pruning the avocado trees at the start of the rains

   C. Irrigating the young avocado seedlings during the dry spell

   D. Grading avocados into sizes before they are packed for the buyer

   (1 mark)

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6. Question 6

   1 mark

   A dairy farmer in Nandi joins a co-operative society that collects and cools milk each morning. Which benefit does the co-operative give her that she could NOT easily get selling alone at the roadside?

   A. Immunity from losses caused by mastitis in her herd

   B. A higher butterfat content in the milk produced by her cows

   C. Bulking and cooling of milk, giving bargaining power and a reliable price

   D. Freedom from keeping any records of the milk she delivers

   (1 mark)

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7. Question 7

   1 mark

   A potato farmer in Nyandarua sells to a broker who comes to the farm gate, and the broker then sells to a wholesaler in Nairobi who supplies retailers. Which is the correct marketing channel?

   A. Farmer to broker to wholesaler to retailer to consumer

   B. Farmer to wholesaler to broker to retailer to consumer

   C. Farmer to retailer to wholesaler to broker to consumer

   D. Farmer to consumer to broker to wholesaler to retailer

   (1 mark)

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8. Question 8

   1 mark

   Mangoes from Makueni are often sold at very low prices in January and February. The MAIN reason for this is:

   A. Transport costs to Nairobi rise sharply during the dry season

   B. Many farmers harvest at the same time, so supply exceeds demand

   C. The mangoes lose quality immediately after they are picked from the tree

   D. Consumers in Nairobi prefer imported fruit during those months

   (1 mark)

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