12 Nov 2019

Access to good quality fruits and vegetables is critical for the success of anyone seeking to venture into a small business as a fresh produce trader. 

Whether one grows the fruits and vegetables or not, it is key that the produce they offer to buyers is of quality. 

Mr Mahutsana Kemo, a horticultural farmer from Mogorosi, a village located a few kilometres west of Serowe, bears testament to this. 

In a recent interview, Mr Kemo, who owns Lilygate Holdings Company, which specialises in horticulture, said quality produce is the bedrock of any venture in the agricultural sector. 

He attributed the success of his business venture to adherence to high standards of quality in the various types of vegetables that the farm produces. 

He says ever since he started the business, the market has responded positively, as has been supplying produce to such chain stores as Choppies, Spar and Shoprite, as well as to individuals and various schools in Serowe and Palapye. 

In addition to producing quality produce, he said it was also important to build rapport with customers. 

“Converse with your customers and get to know them. 

People buy from traders they feel comfortable with. 

Talking to your customers builds connection and trust and can increase sales,’’ he said. 

Mr Kemo, who has partnered with his sister in the business, says they started to cultivate their six-hectare field last year, after being assisted through the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agricultural Development with a P200 000 grant with which they drilled two boreholes, built a reservoir, laid irrigation pipes and purchased various other garden inputs. 

He explained that the business has employed 13 permanent workers and sometimes engages casual labourers, depending on the amount of work at hand. 

Concerning challenges, Mr Kemo stated that the business was facing a challenge of transport because they use one mini truck to supply customers. 

Furthermore, he said their piece of land they was proving too small, hence they were looking into requesting for an extension of the field from the Ngwato Land Board. 

In addition, he said there was need for shade netting to protect plants, especially tomatoes from pests such as birds and also from adverse weather conditions. 

The holder of a Degree in Agribusiness says prior to venturing into the business, he worked in various local banks and at the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency under the business division. ends