Submitted by: Submitted by shakey
Views: 292
Words: 599
Pages: 3
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 03/23/2011 06:51 AM
FUNDING PROPOSAL
PROJECT CONCEPT
Value addition of farm produce through:
i) Cleaning, sorting and grading
ii) Storage
iii) Processing
iv) Packaging
v) Marketing
vi) Waste management
CLEANING, SORTING AND GRADING
Most of farm produce reaches the market soiled, with blemishes and not graded. The process of cleaning, sorting and grading adds value as quality produce fetches better prices.
STORAGE
Fresh produce has very short shelf life. Because most of fresh produce production in Kazakhstan is dependent on rains, gluts during harvest depress prices; and shortages which occur almost immediately after harvest forces prices upwards. Appropriate storage which would increase shelf life by a couple of months will create a window of opportunity........ buy low during gluts and sell high during shortages.
PROCESSING
Most fresh produce is sold raw for further processing by traders in urban areas. Potatoes for example are sold as ware but a large proportion is consumed as chips after further processing. Processing adds value, widens market coverage, meets customer preferences, reduces waste and simplifies waste management.
PACKAGING
Appropriate packaging improves product appeal, widens market reach and meets sanitary requirements.
MARKETING
Most farm produce go through a lengthy route from the producer to the consumer. Midlands marketing strategy is to reduce this route, create awareness of available goods amongst consumers and generally increase the farmers share of the realizable price.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Midlands is a multi-crop processor based in the temperate zones of Kazakhstan. The lead crops include:
i) Potatoes
ii) Crucifers
iii) Peas
iv) Carrots
v) Tropical herbs
Although the core business is agro-processing, Midlands has a...