International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) and the Department of Horticulture, Indonesia organized a workshop ‘Increasing competitiveness and enhancing market access for tropical fruit through quality assurance and value chain improvements in Asia’, at the Topas Galleria Hotel, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia on 27-29 October 2010.
The workshop was attended by 30 participants from 8 countries – Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
The focus of the workshop was to formulate a strategy to improve market access for tropical fruits for growers, taking into account the constraints and deficiencies that are prevalent along the value chain.
Objective of Workshop and Rationale
The main objectives of the workshop were to:
1. Provide an overview to participants on the current trends and developments in the tropical fruit industry
2. Assess issues, challenges in linking tropical fruit growers to the market in participating countries
3. Explore the various options to develop the export market for popular minor crops in Asia.
4. Provide information to participants on the importance of cooperatives and farmers groups involvement in overcoming constraints along the tropical fruit value chain
5. To strengthen the capacity of participants on the need to address issues dealing with quality assurance, post harvest losses, food safety, SPS and Good Agricultural Practices in the marketing of tropical fruits.
6. Develop a strategy and action plan to enhance the marketing of tropical fruits by small growers
A field visit was organized on the last day of the workshop to a pineapple growing area in the Subang district of Bandung. In this project, farmers are trained in good agricultural practices (GAP) and quality assurance to gain better market advantages for their produce. The visit involved a meeting session with the farmers, a visit to the field and a pineapple processing center manned by the women group of the village.
The papers presented were:
Paper 1: Global Trends in Tropical Fruit production and International Trade – Yacob Ahmad, TFNet
Paper 2: Implementation of Indo GAP – increasing the competitiveness of Indonesia tropical fruits – Mr. Winny Wibawa, Dept. of Horticulture, Indonesia
Paper 3: Options for supporting the formation of smallholder organizations, quality improvements and credit availability to enhance smallholder contribution to valu-addition, quality improvement and credit availability to enhance smallholder contribution to value-addition along the tropical fruit value chain – the Philippine experience. – Dr. Lorna E. Herradura, BPI, Philippines
Paper 4: Minimising post harvest losses and enhancing farmers role in the value chain of tropical fruits – Mr. Togar Napitupulu, AMARTA, Indonesia
Paper 5: Improving the value chain and linking the market for fruit growers in Bangladesh – Dr. M.A.Rahim, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh
Paper 6: Potential of minimal processing of tropical fruits – Ms. Latifah Md. Nor, MARDI, Malaysia
Paper 7: Empowering of small farmers in markets – Dr. Juejan Tangtermthong, AFMA, Thailand
Paper 8: Consumption trend, demand and market access for tropical fruits in China – Dr. Tan YanWen, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
Participants were later divided into 2 groups to deliberate on issues related to:
• Quality standards and certification programs
• Implementation of policies to assist smallholders access to credit and the formation of cooperatives or groups.
• Adoption of technologies to improve productivity and quality.
• Meeting sanitary and phyto-sanitary requirements of importing countries
• Improvement of the market system to benefit smallholders through better information dissemination and enhance role of smallholders in the value chain.
• Involvement of the private sector to assist smallholders to gain market access
Participants of the workshop in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
Opening speech by Dr. Ahmad Dimyati, Director General of Horticulture, Indonesia
Workshop participants during the opening ceremony
A discussion group in progress
Visit to pineapple project at Subang, Bandung