Market Research for Agroprocessors – Free Online Technical Manual

This book by Andrew Shepherd is available via http://bit.ly/FBRDH3.

This review was originally published in Food Processing Africa.

This 100 page plus manual, published by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, presents a simple and logical look at how a small agroprocessor should go about making sure that there is a market for the product they intend producing. The contents of the manual indicate the scope of the information:

✓ Why do we need market research?
✓ How much can be sold, where and when?
✓ Researching consumer attitudes to your products.
✓ How can your product be made attractive to consumers?
✓ How should your product be distributed?
✓ How should you promote your product.
✓ Are your agroprocessing plans feasible?
✓ Will your business be profitable, and at what prices?
✓ Annex 1 – Questions for market research
✓ Annex 2 – A consumer questionnaire
✓ Further reading

The manual introduces each chapter with an outline of the main issues to be covered and provides “hint boxes” which present practical ideas and “word of warning boxes” that identifies particular problems. The sections on collecting information, distribution and advertising contain practical examples and illustrations.

The last two sections on feasibility and profitability are really important and often don’t get enough attention in the euphoria of a new product. The former goes through all (things such as production and seasonality, location of the farmers and buying costs, price variation, scope for farmers to increase production, labeling, distribution and promotion, licensing and regulations) that has to be in place to run a production business while the latter provides examples of costing and cash flow.

Each section ends with a “Reaching Conclusions” box, which identifies the new information the user should generate by following the manual. The manual is illustrated with cartoons and contains real examples of checklists for research and a consumer survey in the annexes.

The book ends with a set of references.