Policy measures for micro, small and medium food processing enterprises in the Asian region

Abstract

Small and medium food processing enterprises (SMEs) play an important economic role and are a major source of employment in both developing and advanced economies. In Asia and the Pacific, formal and informal SMEs account for over 97 percent of all enterprises, employ over half of the workforce and contribute significantly to economic growth. Micro, small and medium food processing enterprises (MSMFEs) constitute a major segment of this sector. This publication is the outcome of a regional works hop convened in December 2103 to promote agro-industrial policy measures for MSMFEs in Asia. It includes status reports from nine Asian countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand – and a review of the key issues and policy recommendations based on the findings and deliberations of the workshop.