Farmers across the island will be given the opportunity to tap into the international market, when they utilize yaadmarket.com – a free-to-use website, created for farmers, restaurateurs, food processors and exporters of farm produce.
This initiative spearheaded by CEO of yaadmarket.com, Steve McDonald, aims to help farmers increase earnings through the sales of agricultural produce to 3 major markets in the US, Canada and UK plus other emerging markets, internationally.
Since its inception, yaadmarket.com has partnered with government agricultural agency, the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) as an enabler, to reach farmers who need sales assistance, and to identified training methods which will serve to educate farmers on how to use methods on their telephones – quick and easy!
According to yaadmarket.com’s CEO, Steve McDonald, farmers, traders of agricultural produce and their end market can now utilize this online method to earn better rates for farm products. Mr. McDonald stresses that he came up with the idea for his company when he identified that despite the years, farmers continue to suffer huge losses in agricultural produce due to sporadic gluts on the market, and as the farmers are unable to identify other means of selling their produce, it spoils and they suffer significant loss.
Yaadmarket.com will put a stop to this, as long as farmers follow the simple guides on the site that enables them to identify buyers and posits them to negotiate best deals.
“This site will eliminate produce spoiling in St. Elizabeth and other parishes, due to lack of buyers as it facilitates a more efficient distribution”, added Mr. McDonald. He continued, “In addition to Produce, we also facilitate trade in “Processed Goods”, and provide information on complementary agricultural Services, eg, Accounting, Legal, Catering, Shipping and equipment rental, among others”.
HOW IT WORKS
This site, according to its developers, will provide real-time information as to location of produce. Users of the site, are allowed to post pictures and information on available produce or produce they need to purchase. All transactions are between buyers and sellers and the negotiation process is entirely between the parties. Financial transactions between farmer and buyer are done off site as agreed by them, yaadmarket.com only facilitates contacts. And for farmers without an export permit?
There is assistance for that too. Persons just need to visit the site and they will be directed to a list of authorised agents that will assist with their needs.
