The Role of Market Middlemen on Tomato Supply Chain Performance in Arusha City, 2020.

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the role of market middlemen on tomato supply chain performance in Arusha City. The specific objectives were to examine marketing channels adopted by the market middlemen in Arusha City, to examine the influence of market middlemen to price stability of tomato and to determine the influence of storage facilities in performance of supply chain in Arusha City. The sample of 50 respondents was used and data were collected through a questionnaire, and the study used a cross-sectional research design. The study concludes that middlemen are an important element of day to day operation of the tomato markets. They promote efficiency in the tomato markets through arbitrage activities. They also play a significant part in creating an efficient pricing system in the tomato markets through signalling critical information to other market participants. They also reduce losses by farmers through brokering mutually beneficial deals with them. Also, the study recommends that smallholder tomato farmers should add value to their products to benefit from the value chain. The Government is advised to enhance market efficiency, by ensuring all market participants are well informed to all relevant information and cost of the transaction is negligible or minimum. Smallholder tomato farmers should be supported with technical guidance on supply chain performance, given the same, there should be a clear policy and framework regarding support to the growth of smallholder tomato farmers and sector in general.