A Digital Marketplace for Direct Farmer-to- Merchant Trade: Design and Implementation of AgriTrade Hub

Agricultural supply chains in developing economies are often characterized by fragmentation, inefficiencies, and asymmetry of information between stakeholders. Farmers, who constitute the primary producers, frequently lack direct access to market pricing data and are compelled to depend on intermediaries for selling their produce. This dependency significantly reduces their profit margins and limits their bargaining power. Simultaneously, merchants face challenges related to inconsistent supply, price volatility, and limited traceability of produce sources. This research proposes AgriTrade Hub, a digital marketplace designed to enable direct interaction between farmers and merchants. The system eliminates intermediary layers by providing a unified platform for product listing, negotiation, transaction processing, and logistics coordination. The architecture is built using scalable web technologies and is optimized for accessibility in rural environments with limited technological infrastructure. The implementation demonstrates improved efficiency in transaction cycles, enhanced transparency in pricing mechanisms, and increased accessibility for small-scale farmers. The proposed system contributes to the transformation of traditional agricultural trade into a digitally empowered, transparent, and equitable ecosystem.