DAVAO CITY, MINDANAO: The Philippine Bureau of Plant Institute and TFNet will hold a workshop on Value Chain Enhancements to Improve Market Access for Minor Tropical Fruits in the Philippines on 3-4 October 2012 at the Grand Regal Hotel.
Participants will include extension officers, researchers, and the private sector from the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Minor tropical fruits such as durian, rambutan, litchi, guava, pomelo, jackfruit, dragonfruit and mangosteen make up 22 percent of total global tropical fruit production. Exports of minor tropical fruits are expanding with Asia as the leader. With its fertile land and a strategic geographical position, the Philippines can be a forefront in tropical fruit exports.
The workshop will help participants identify the gaps along the tropical fruit value chain and recommended key activities and interventions that can help improve fruit quality, food safety, marketability, and meet international trade requirements.
Participants will discuss on pest and disease management issues, quality assurance, production technologies, postharvest losses, sanitary and phytosanitary regulations (SPS) and Good Agricultural Practices. As an outcome, they are expected to develop a road map and action plan to enhance the marketing of minor tropical fruits.
The objectives of the workshop are:
- To assess issues and challenges in improving production and quality of minor tropical fruits in the region
- Identify key activities and interventions along the fruit value chain that can be implemented by concerted efforts of smallholders
- To strengthen the capacity of participants on pest and disease management, quality assurance, post-harvest management, food safety, SPS regulations and good agricultural practice to improve market access for minor fruits.
- Share experiences and establish network ties with countries in the region on the development of some potential minor fruits
The sessions will stress the importance of the concerted efforts among stakeholders, as well as the value of empowering smallholders through the enhancement of roles that will help link growers to the market. Commercial producers will be provided with the latest technological and research developments. Government and institution workers will be informed on market access regulations.
Participants will share their experiences and success stories.