If you have some entrepreneurial skills and enjoy independent work, direct marketing gives the farm a high added value.
Above all, young farmers see independence, but also the opportunity to run the farm full-time, as their great opportunity. Direct contact with customers is another reason for many.Above all, being able to plan, organize and execute the chain from production to sale gives many farmers great joy and satisfaction.
The development of direct marketing in South Tyrol is heading towards positive times. It gives many farming families motivation to break new ground and further expand the associated networks.
From the field, the meadow or the barn directly to the consumer.However, the fresh and healthy food from the farm also has its price.
If you sell your products directly from the farm, you need extensive expertise. It needs suitable structures for processing and selling. Of course, the entrepreneurial risk and the high amount of work involved are reflected in the price.
Sustainability is on everyone's lips, so it makes sense to further promote direct marketing and to sensitize consumers to it. However, consumers need to be willing to pay a reasonable price for it.
At present, only about 2.8% of farms in South Tyrol sell their products directly through farmers' markets, online marketing and food retailers. There is still a lot of room for improvement. The fact that three-quarters of the direct marketing farms are full-time farms gives cause for optimism. They are mainly producers of wine, fruit and vegetables. The share of mountain farmers with the production of meat and sausage products as well as milk and cheese is much lower.
Direct marketing; a groundbreaking opportunity for South Tyrolean farms. It offers operators a valuable economic perspective. But it still needs a lot of support, in the form of training, research, innovation and higher visibility.
Direct marketing; a groundbreaking opportunity for South Tyrolean farms. It offers operators a valuable economic perspective. But it still needs a lot of support, in the form of training, research, innovation and higher visibility.
