Every so often, people criticize multinational companies for disturbing the market with strategies to achieve a monopoly. Well, that’s how fat cats behave! And to make a killing, startup companies join them with me-too products, helping the dirty chain of unethical marketing grow. Not to evade the fact that many companies do work intending to contribute, but the likelihood of their drive changing to financial gains and market accessibility is high!
The Lure and Sell principle! (Like/unlike lure and kill in IPM? ; ) )
The easiest way to convince a retailer is to give him what he doesn’t need for his business and the domain. Trips to Thailand, parties, cash discounts (with tricks), credit notes, z, z, z! This chain continues; retailers sell products unnecessary for farming, leading to unsustainable agriculture and destruction of Nature. Forbye, to a never-ending corrupt supply chain. Back in 2015(India), during my visits with colleagues from sales, I observed how companies are expected to lure with unethical perks. Some dealers would ask for a trip abroad, and some for a 50% discount, while demands should have been for quality produce, cost-effectiveness for farmers, innovation, new technologies, and knowledge.
Poor farmers! The only bearer of all the wrongdoing in this chain; pays for everyone’s profit, but suffers losses alone. How many years before industries stop exploiting their illiterate approach to farming?
With burgeoning demand for food, it is crucial to bring the right change. My bet is on young farmers, startup companies with ethical and innovative supply chain, medium industries making effective marketing shifts, and multinationals to revisit their purpose of existence. The future looks good, with more concerned thoughts. I wish to see the change happening earlier than the organic speed.
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Great article Ritesh! I fully concur with your thoughts.
The negative effects of dealers or retailers, selling agri inputs (mainly pesticides) to farmers, if not addressed soon, might become a never ending problem.
Picture this : Farmer mentions a plant disease or insect damage symptoms to the retailer in his clumsy shop, the “super smart” retailer visualizes, analyzes the problem in his “super brain” and hands out a bottle of pesticide. This is dangerous, unscientific and misleading. Not to forget the retailer has his own interests of selling chemicals that fetch him the maximum returns and not necessarily it helps the farmers to control the pest with minimum damage to his health and environment.
It’s high time we introduce scientific ways of selling pesticides at the retailers and make sense of what goes into the fields, food we eat and into this environment.
Hi CB (Goudre),
Indeed a practice that is carried for generations. I wonder why we Ag graduates are unable to bring change! What inhibits us?