09/02/2026
Part 4............
"Mommy, mailo mukabwele kuseniseni, mukafunse ati nisakila tomato yaba Miti, bonse baiziba, niyabwino, elo ilibeh ma damage, bonse banthu ba order tomatoe yabo.......we need to check out tomato yaba Miti.........
We were like OK
There we were, early in the morning. Ladies and Gentrimen, boys & girls..
There are people that have mastered the art and are making profits even when prices are low. Please take note..
1. We are not disputing that tomatoe prices are low.
2. What we are saying is that, tomatoes are heavy feeders and the investment is huge.
3. Even when the price of tomato drops, there is something you can still do to be at the top of the food chain.
Upon examining tomato Ya Ba 'Miti', we discovered as follows:
1. Ba Miti knows how to stuck crates, his tomatoes are not injured. He handles them with TLC (Tender Loving Care). His boxes are intact, from top to bottom. He has understood that his product needs to be handled gently.
2. His tomato quality is the best.
3. Before we go ahead, remember, it's either you go big or you go home. Ask Pig farmers, they will tell you not to start pig farming if you dont have money. Same with tomatoes, buy inputs in advance, buy all that is needed, CAN, D Compound, Potassium, vonse ,do the right thing. Buy all insecticides and fungicides.
4. Ba Mitis tomatoes are top notch, hence 90% of soweto market orders from him.
There are 3 kinds of customers at Soweto, the first being marketeers, next, regular walk in customers. But guess who makes the most, there are these guys who order from farmers right there at Soweto, then re pack and re-sell.
Now, these guys , even us marketeers buy from them. Their tomatoes dont contain damages, their crates are intact from bottom to top. They dont sell their boxes at less than K100, even if the 'secret society' or 'price controllers' announce the starting price as K60. Them, they still sell at K100.and above. WHY,???? the product speaks for itself.
FARMERS, have pride in yowa merchandise, be careful how you present your merchandise, have some class and you will note that even when the price is low, you will remain at the top of the food chain..
Today, we have focused on presentation, next, we shall talk about how you must dedicate your whole day to sell at Soweto. The problem is that you guys just want to reach, spend an hour or less, sell and go home. No, this is not how it works, have patience, are going to die if you spend the whole day selling your merchandise,?? this is why you become restless and lower the price immediately it reaches 14:00hrs........
This is a chapter for another day when we start discussing about maize prices but there was a day I felt like crying. We went to order some maize, we found maize selling at K 1, K1.5 or K2 at most. Then this truck brought maize , you guys, so fresh and sooo big. They priced it at K3. There was no one buying from them, simply becoz they were higher by K1. Maize is not as common as tomato. Guess what, they reduced their price to K2 and everyone suddenly surrounded their maize. On that day, the maize selling for K2 was old and looked like viwaya. But they panicked and reduced their price..... how DARE you panick yet it was only around 08 hrs in the morning???????????????.
