Without empathy and sympathy, they quickly put their "mark" on the bags and start dictating to our poor farmers the buying price with hostility and aggressiveness that our farmers have little choice but to give in to their demands.
"We are simple village folks and are easily intimidated. Even when we do not agree to their demands and wish to sell our produce ourselves, our marketing is made even harder by denying us proper market spaces." says a local mother during an interview.
What is more frustrating is this: Pineapples take about a year to harvest. In between the labour input on the part of the farmer is back-breaking and requires dedication. However, the selling price of a bag of pineapple as determined by the urban market trolls are as low as K130 per bag to K200 a bag when supply is low.
Now these are prices determined by these bloody leeches who do not know the meaning of a hard day's garden work and the cost and effort put in by these farmers to raise these produces. They scam our farmers by buying so cheaply and make a whopping profit at 200% to 300% while the farmer's net earnings is a pitiful K20 to K30 per bag.
TO YOU INTENDING CANDIDATES | 4 DISTRICT & CENTRAL PROVINCE
Our farmers should not be forced to sell their hard work and sweat so easily. Our farmers should not be intimidated and subjected to aliens who care less of us and marginally our farmers to a state of poverty.
Our farmers need a market where they can get "real value for money" from their produces to improve their livelihoods and well being. Our farmers need a Champion who fully understand their predicament and plight and has a practical solution to this ever increasing problem.
All your educational qualifications and working experiences means little or nothing when you do not put yourself in the shoes of our farmers who basically make up the voting population.
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