RAP PUBLICATION 2006/15


Proceedings of the FAO/AFMA workshop on quality and safety in the traditional horticultural marketing chains of Asia

7 to 10 November 2005 Bangkok, Thailand

Edited by
Elda B. Esguerra, Jean-Joseph Cadilhon and Andrew W. Shepherd

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok, 2006

Agricultural and Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific


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The designation and presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations or of the Agricultural and Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.

All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to the Marketing Officer (Quality Improvement), FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Athit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand or by e-mail to [email protected].

© FAO and AFMA 2006

For copies write to:
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Athit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000
Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Thanks to increased agricultural production and better marketing facilities, poverty and food insecurity are less of a problem in many Asian countries than was the case a few years ago. The new preoccupation of countries in the region is on quality and safety. FAO has been working to improve quality and safety in Asian countries through a wide range of interventions to enhance their capacity to meet international food quality and sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and to establish and maintain appropriate regulations, monitoring and surveillance. One such intervention is the programme on enhancing food quality and safety by strengthening handling, processing and marketing in the food chain, under which the above workshop was carried out. Held in Bangkok, Thailand from 7 to 10 November 2005, it was the first attempt by FAO to approach quality and safety issues from a marketing perspective. The main issue considered was: What are the constraints faced by farmers and traders in the traditional horticultural supply chains to bring safe and quality produce to market? This report provides summaries of the 21 papers and country case studies discussed which focused on identifying ways to overcome constraints on improving traditional marketing channels (complete case studies are provided in the annexes). Conclusions and recommendations are also included in the report.