Poultry farming, just like any other agricultural practice, was affected by the disruptions brought about by Covid-19, but it is slowly coming back to normal.
As more restaurants, eateries and fast-food outlets open their doors to consumers, the increasing demand for chicken is a welcome relief to farmers.
Indeed, it is rare to find a household that does not consume chicken or does not eat eggs. However, selling chicken cannot be taken for granted.
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I have seen farmers burn their fingers after rearing birds and end up with excess eggs or finished capons with nowhere to sell them.
I believe farmers do not necessarily need to have a good marketing acumen or degree in sales and marketing but should know a few basics in sales and marketing to keep them in business.
As farmers enjoy their fortunes, let’s remember a few tips on sales and marketing. Here are tips for upcoming farmers:
1. Carry out a market survey
Before venturing into poultry farming, understand the state of the market of the products you want to sell in your target region.
Collect as much information as possible on leading producers and sellers of the products. Who are the consumers? How many hotels are in your region?
Who is supplying what and at what price? Gather as much insights as possible before plunging into the trade. Start small but think big as you venture into this farming area for the first time.
2. Know the demand cycle of the products
Try to know the peak sale periods for eggs or poultry meat for your target regions and then work backwards to link it to production period.
Peak demands coincide with festivities like Easter holidays, Christmas, Ramadhan, school holidays, among others. It is suicidal to have mature meat birds coinciding with opening of schools - a period when most people are only spending money on uniforms and fees.
3. Use your network to your advantage
Try to sell your eggs or chickens to your immediate family members, friends, work mates, relatives, and neighbours who you can easily reach and chat about your newfound side hustle with. You can use your phone to reach potential clients, physically meet your “chama” friends and communicate by word of mouth.
4. The power of social media
In this age of mobile technology, there are numerous platforms for marketing your products. Some of the internet-based applications such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, TikTok can be used to send texts, messages, digital photos, and videos to promote your business.
5. Bank on good quality products
The single impediment to successful poultry farming has been the reliance on middlemen or brokers to market and sell your products. Do not be a broker in this business. Grow your birds professionally without using growth promoters, additives, antimicrobials, or any other unethical product to disguise quality. Aim to directly reach your customers who can ascertain the quality of your products and vouch for you in the market.
6. Sell on convenience delivery
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught producers to adjust their route to market channels. More and more products are now being delivered to customers at the press of a button. You can take advantage of door-to-door delivery by using leading convenience delivery services in Kenya such as Jumia Food. Such a model has been well accepted in the market.
7. Price affordably
Most Kenyans are generally price sensitive and will not pay more if a cheaper product is readily available. This is true in this industry. Price your products affordably.
8. Differentiate your product, innovate, value add
What will make your product stand out? You need to give your customers something unique, different, and distinct from other players. Innovate, value add on to your product. Last week, I wrote about presenting your chickens differently, cutups, boneless, marinated, etc. You can pack your eggs differently or grade them based on size and present them uniquely to your customers.
-Dr Watson Messo Odwako <watsonmesso@yahoo.com> vet@kenchic.com
