Perceptions of Agricultural E-Commerce Among Farmers: A Case Study in Şarköy District

Abstract

This study aims to identify the attitudes of cherry, olive, and grape producers in the Şarköy district of Tekirdağ province towards agricultural e-commerce, their current and future intentions for its use, and the underlying factors influencing these intentions. Data were collected through face-to-face surveys with 107 producers and subsequently analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The primary finding of the research reveals that despite a high rate of internet access among producers (95%), none are actively utilizing e-commerce as a marketing channel. This indicates that access to technology is not a sufficient condition for its adoption. The fundamental reasons for non-adoption include a reliance on traditional marketing channels, a lack of knowledge and skills, and the perception of operational burdens and costs associated with e-commerce. Nevertheless, 46% of the producers expressed a positive intention to adopt e-commerce in the future, citing the potential for higher income as their primary motivation. Based on these findings, several recommendations are proposed to facilitate the adoption of e-commerce among producers. These include: organizing practical, mobile-focused training programs to address knowledge and skill gaps; establishing financial support and incentive mechanisms through institutions such as KOSGEB or Development Agencies; creating collective logistics hubs to alleviate operational burdens; and developing trustworthy, locally-oriented e-commerce infrastructures to mitigate producers’ mistrust of digital platforms.