What is the ruling on a non-farmer borrowing money from a merchant, on the condition that he repays it with a specified quantity of produce at a specific time, at a price agreed upon that is lower than the market price, and then he is compelled to purchase this produce from another farmer to fulfill his debt?

It appears that what takes place between merchants and individuals who do not own land or crops is a Salam contract. This is the sale of a described item held in obligation, using the terms Salam or Salaf. It is an exception to the rule prohibiting the sale of non-existent items, due to people's need for it. It is not a condition for the contracting party to be an owner of crops; however, they are obliged to purchase the agreed-upon and precisely described yield at the time of delivery. It is not a condition for the Muslam fihi (the object of the Salam contract) to exist at the time of the contract, but rather at the time of delivery. The price must be known and handed over at the contract assembly, the grain must be described in a way that eliminates ambiguity, and the delivery date must be known.