Agricultural Direct Marketing And Rural Development

AAgricultural direct marketing implies the selling of agricultural, mainly horticultural products directly to the public either through on-farm markets (farm-shops), community-based farmers’ markets, or post, electronic mail and internet web order. These types of distribution channels can supply customers with fresh, ripen and healthy produce without the physical and social costs of transportation. In our view direct marketing alone is not competitive enough, as it should combine innovation with the complexity of multifunctional agriculture, rural development and countryside management. The synergies from decreasing local unemployment, entertainment and rural education (edutainment) of city dwellers, local craft products, organic production, pick-your-own (PYO) and agritourism can balance out the above mentioned disadvantages. The important barriers are the increasing rural traffic, a certain degree of environmental contamination and the limitation of the role of professional marketers and dealers. Direct marketing deserves state subsidies in the preliminary phase of implementation.