Farmers struggle to bring products to e-commerce platforms

The Chorus of Bumper Crop, Falling Prices

Growing Ido longans for nearly 10 years, but every harvest season, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Út Tám (Phong Điền District, Cần Thơ City) cannot help but feel anxious due to fluctuating prices. According to Mrs. Tám, bumper crop, falling prices, good prices, poor crop is a chorus that has followed her for many years.

“Taking good care, high yield of longans doesn't necessarily mean high profits. In years of bumper crops, the price of longans drops significantly, sometimes from 30,000 VND/kg to 15,000 - 16,000 VND/kg. In years when traders buy longans at high prices, the trees produce fewer fruits, so the profit is not much,” Mrs. Tám said.

Switching from growing ineffective green star apples to growing Thai jackfruit, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Ba (Phong Điền District, Cần Thơ City) also fell into the situation of bumper crop, falling prices.

“Seeing Thai jackfruit in high demand, sometimes reaching 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg, I abandoned star apples to grow jackfruit. But that only lasted for a while. In recent years, the price of Thai jackfruit has continuously dropped, sometimes traders buy at the garden for only 2,000 - 3,000 VND/kg, but I still have to sell to recover capital,” Mr. Ba shared.

Barriers to Transition

Seeing the trend of shopping on e-commerce platforms becoming increasingly popular, Mrs. Tám wants to approach this new business model to escape the uncertainty in agricultural product consumption. However, as a farmer with limited IT skills, she faces many barriers in making the transition.

“For over a year now, I have started seeing agricultural products being put on e-commerce platforms. Some livestream channels introduce durians, lychees, OCOP products... with quite attractive sales numbers. However, knowing what is needed to meet the requirements and policies set by the platforms, as well as not knowing how to make videos or livestreams to attract customers... are things that make me hesitant to boldly put agricultural products on e-commerce platforms,” Mrs. Tám confessed.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Ba also wants to put products on e-commerce platforms to reach a large customer base and increase product value. But what makes him hesitant is whether the transition will be effective if he himself has no knowledge or experience in selling on e-commerce platforms.

“Currently, agricultural products appearing on e-commerce platforms are not many. Therefore, I hope the local authorities or related parties will support and create conditions to open basic and advanced training classes on how to put goods on e-commerce platforms, how to make videos, livestream so that we farmers can approach this new business model,” Mr. Ba expressed.

A representative of TikTok Shop noted that individuals and groups selling on the platform often encounter errors such as redirecting user traffic or exaggerating product benefits. Therefore, the unit will have training programs for all entities with agricultural products to sell to participate in opening shops, as well as ways to handle and rectify violations.