Abstract:
Private traders appear to market the major portion of food crops entering the marketing system. Almost no marketing would occur in the absence of the private sector. The initial assembling of produce is done almost exclusively by the private sector and almost completely by private or petty traders. In addition to this activity, the private sector arranges for and/or provides much of the transport facilities and much of the money for crop finance. It serves as the principal connecting link between producers and consumers and provides much of the storage function at intermediate stages of marketing.