The implementation of product traceability is an important marketing tool for agricultural enterprises. This study categorizes the timing of its presentation into two dimensions: pre-purchase accessibility and post-purchase accessibility, and explores its impact on consumer purchase intention. Through four formal experiments, we found that: pre-purchase (vs. post-purchase) accessibility of traceability information enhances consumers’ sense of risk control, thereby increasing purchase intention; compared to certified agricultural products, pre-purchase (vs. post-purchase) accessibility of traceability information has a stronger effect on enhancing risk control when consumers are confronted with non-certified products; and for rational consumers, pre-purchase (vs. post-purchase) accessibility of traceability information has a stronger effect on enhancing risk control than for emotional consumers. This study enriches the understanding of the relationship between agricultural product traceability and consumer decision-making, The findings provide theoretical support for agricutural enterprises in selecting the appropriate timing for presenting traceability information and enhancing the value of product traceability.