Farmers' Perception and Engagement with the Role of Middlemen: A Case Study of the Vegetable Farmers
Abstract
The role of middlemen in rural areas is often controversial, particularly because of the positive or negative roles they play in the farmer livelihood. This study aims to understand the farmers' perception of the role of middlemen in facilitating their farming system and to find out the socioeconomic factors that determine to what degree farmers attach themselves to middlemen. To get this information, we conducted a case study survey of 92 respondents from the subdistrict of Rasau Jaya, Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Approximately 95% of the farmers had a positive perception of the role of the middlemen, which was considered important in the farm produce marketing and also the transportation of both fertilizer and crops. Older farmers, farmers with a higher education level, and farmers with more vegetable commodities were less attached to the middleman in the marketing of their agricultural products. These farmers often changed the middleman to get a higher price. Conversely, farmers producing sweet maize and farmers with a higher income level were more attached to a middleman. A high level of engagement with a middleman is one of the farmer strategies to avoid marketing risks.
Bahasa Abstract
Peran tengkulak di daerah perdesaan seringkali kontroversial, khususnya mengenai peran positif atau negatif mereka terhadap nafkah petani. Studi ini bertujuan memahami persepsi petani terhadap peran tengkulak dalam memfasilitasi sistem pertanian mereka, dan mengetahui faktor-faktor sosial-ekonomi yang menentukan keterlekatan (kesetiaan) petani pada tengkulak. Studi kasus ini menerapkan metode survei dengan mewawancarai 92 responden di Kecamatan Rasau Jaya, Kabupaten Kubu Raya, Kalimantan Barat-Indonesia. Sekitar 95% petani memiliki persepsi positif, dan peran tengkulak dianggap penting dalam pemasaran hasil pertanian serta pengangkutan pupuk dan hasil panen. Petani yang lebih tua, petani dengan tingkat pendidikan yang lebih tinggi, dan petani yang memproduksi beragam komoditas sayuran, cenderung kurang setia terhadap tengkulak tertentu dalam pemasaran hasil pertanian mereka. Petani tersebut sering berganti tengkulak untuk mendapatkan harga yang lebih tinggi. Sebaliknya, petani yang memproduksi jagung manis dan yang memiliki tingkat pendapatan lebih tinggi, cenderung lebih setia pada seorang tengkulak. Tingkat kesetiaan yang tinggi terhadap tengkulak merupakan strategi petani untuk menghindari risiko pemasaran.
Recommended Citation
Sudrajat, J., Isytar, I., & Arifin, N. (2021). Farmers' Perception and Engagement with the Role of Middlemen: A Case Study of the Vegetable Farmers. Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia, 25(1), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.7454/hubs.asia.1070220