Marketing
Since the district Jeldu, where Guta lives has other seed producers, it is known to many as a seed potato source. Public organizations, NGOS (national and international), private sector and individual farmers from different parts of the country come to purchase seed from him. Initially buyers are recommended by the research center to go to Jeldu, as seed producers there follow the QDS requirements to produce quality seed. Moreover, Holleta once advertised the seed potato of Guta and another farmer, Tesfaye, on the Solagrow website and on most-read newspaper called Ethiopian Reporter. After initial connection, the buyers started giving his address to others and Guta himself collected addresses of potential buyers and he calls them up to tell them that he has seed potatoes to sell. This way he sold hundreds of tons of seed potatoes to NGOs, including World Vision for their projects. Last year, he sold about 36 tons of seed potato of the Gudene variety to Senselet (meaning Chain in Amharic, major Ethiopian Language) a Dutch-owned processing Firm. Guta takes his ware potato to the major horticultural products selling open market in Addis Ababa on his own trucks. He transacts in three main ways: through bank cash transfers, checks and cash.
Guta also serves his community by providing milling serves for cereals, avoiding long distance travels to get the services and availing dairy products for sale. His envisaged school and hotel project will create a lot of employment for the community, particularly the youth.
Creating added value (packaging, excellent appropriate storage, transportation)
Guta does not sell seed potato at harvest but adds value through storing tubers in DLS until they produce multiple, short, green and sturdy sprouts that do not break off during transportation and planting. Buyers know that seed potatoes with multiple sprouts produce more yield and do not hesitate to pay more. He has three trucks that have a carrying capacity of 35 tons permitting him to deliver the seed and ware potato he sells, attracting more clients.
