Đề tài Establishment of the globalgap system for dragon fruit famers and exporter in the southern provinces

Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 38 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GLOBALGAP SYSTEM FOR DRAGON FRUIT FAMERS AND EXPORTER IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES Project title: Developing GAP systems for dragon fruit producers and exporters in Binh Thuan and Tien Giang provinces Project code: CARD 037/04 VIE Authors: Nguyen Van Hoa1, Nguyen Huu Hoang1, John M. Campbell2, Nguyen Minh Chau2 Project Implementing organisations: 1 Southern Fruit Research Institute 2 Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand SUMMARY In Vietnam, at present, the area for dragon fruit is over 13,500 ha with the production of more than 211,000 tones and the average area per household is 0.5 - 1 ha. Returns from dragon fruit (DF) could be significantly improved if small growers and exporters can gain access to new high value markets in Europe and North America. We have established a private sector working pilot of exporter, packer and supplying DF growers in which the European high value market driven standards of BRC at the packer and GlobalGAP at the farmer level have been implemented. And the results coming with (i) Field farmers’ benchmarking survey were completed and its report was delivered to SOFRI personnel, packers, farmers, MARD and DARD personnel in 2007. (ii) Selection of a packer/exporter and farmer group for the GlobalGAP implementation. Training of the Pilot members for improvement towards British Retailers Consortium: Global Standard – Food (BRC) for the packer and EurepGAP/GlobalGAP for the farmers were carried out to enable them to reach compliance in all areas. The pilots both for field production and packhouse were implemented and all the corrections have been done and then the Certification for EURAPGAP with 80 ha of dragon fruit production has been achieved in 2007 and re-certified and expanded for GlobalGAP in 2008 with 230 ha and again in 2009 with the same areas, while the packhouse are being auditing for BRC certification. (iii) The dragon fruit quality manuals for the farmer and packer were developed by John Campbell to enable the farmer and packer to meet compliance with the EUREPGAP and BRC standards in 2006. Translation of the Manual into Vietnamese has been distributed to the farmers and packers. The Vietnamese personnel have upgraded the EUREGAP manual to GlobalGAP in Vietnamese and the BRC also revised to the new version 5 in Vietnamese. (iv) The national personnel capacity building in GlobalGAP and BRC were well done with plenty of technical staff and farmers trained. 1. Introduction Recently, dragon fruit production in Vietnam was about more than 13,500 ha producing with approximately 211,000 tons with the average farm’s holder from 0.5 to 1.0 ha depending on production areas of which are either in Mekong Delta Regions or in Binh Thuan province (Nguyen Minh Chau, 2007). The benefits from dragon fruit industry will be improved significantly as if small land-holding dragon fruit farmers and exporters could expand its markets to the new and high value ones in EU or Northern America. This, however, the dragon fruit exporters should be market driven and initiative in exploring potential markets for themselves. He high value markets from Japan, EU and Northern America etc. required for quality dragon fruits but refused Vietnam’s dragon fruits due to under quality and unsafe fruits. The project of Developing of quality systems of GlobalGAP for dragon fruit producers and exporters in the South of Vietnam, was aimed to develop a CARD 037/04VIE – Developing GAP system for dragon fruit 39 system for dragon fruit industry in ensuring of quality for exporting to high value markets. Establishment of pilot model for dragon fruit packing house – export and contracted supplying producers targeted to export markets in EU which required for BRC and EurepGAP/GlobalGAP standards. 2. Materials and methods Project life-span was from 2005 to 2010, and laid out in dragon fruit production areas in Binh Thuan, Tien Giang and Long provinces. The common aim was “Benefit of each stakeholders participating in this project of implementation of GAP from high value markets was always higher than as compared to before implementing GAP”. Higher revenue from producing, packaging and exporting of dragon fruit compliance to GAP will ensure the sustainable growth in dragon fruit industry. This growth also ensures the increase of mummer of small land holders to join in the programme and therefore the improvement of rural life standards is indispensable. The enhancement of national capacity both in public and private sectors through practical implementing of GAP is included.  Evaluation of practical producing of dragon fruit in Vietnam in comparison to EUREPGAP standards by surveillance in a large scale from Binh Thuan to Tien Giang and Long provinces, the development of questionnaire and result analysis and evaluation were carried out by HortResearch’s experts.  Enhancement in knowledge of dragon fruit producing for SOFRI’s staff and establishment of systems to improve the sustainable production and resolve the problems and issues in practical production.  Development of pilot farm model compliance EurepGAP/GlobalGAP standards for group of farmers and a pilot packing house certified for BRC for exporter/packer. To establish the quality systems which meet the requirements, SOFRI’s staff had organized a number of training courses and consultancies as well for farmers and packers.  Development of dragon fruit GlobalGAP quality manual, Vietnam counterpart had to develop the codes and suitable training materials, safety for environment for friendly implementation and feasible for dragon fruit pilot model as well as for other cases or crops. Establishment of required quality systems for dragon fruit industry to implement and also regard as core of solid system in enabling the pilot model got certified for EurepGAP/GlobalGAP standards. 3. Research results and discussions 3.1 Benchmarking survey of dragon fruit production The benchmarking survey of dragon fruit production was conducted by end of July 2005. There were 125 farmers in Binh Thuan and 30 farmers in Long An and Tien Giang provinces to be interviewed to collect data. SOFRI’s project staff had interviewed and collected data using the questionnaire and also recorded the information on cultivation practices and other related techniques which were relevant to practical producing of dragon fruit. The survey data were analysed at HortResearch by Dr. Jim Walker and Patrick Connolly had prepared the report by Power point for John Campbell presented at SOFRI during the trip visit and working at Vietnam in March and April 2007. The presentation was then, used as tools in training for farmers and packers in this area. 3.2 Development of quality manual The manual was first written by English and the translated into Vietnamese. The manual development was based up the specific background which met to the requirements of quality systems for the project pilot model, for the farmer section complying to EUREPGAP and section for packer was based on BRC (British Retailers Consortium, Global Standard: Food) and this is a live document (can be added on or corrected) to update whenever the standard or condition changed. Nguyen Van Hoa, Nguyen Huu Hoang, John M. Campbell & Nguyen Minh Chau 40 By the end of 2007 and in early 2008, SOFRI’s project personnel had re-written the manual as a version 2.0: upgrading the EurepGAP to GlobalGAP standards with changes in content and form; Re-writing and upgrading the quality management system for packing house to become a manual for Dragon fruit quality management system manual – for packer compliance to BRC standards – Issue 5. 3.3 Establishment of programme for implementation GAP pilot models 3.3.1 Choose for standards of quality management systems At farm level, EUREPGAP standard and at packing house, BRC standard were selected for implementation. The both standards will be supplementing to each other to ensure dragon fruit being produced and packed in a quality, legality and meeting the requirements of high value markets, “satisfaction of customers’ demands” on traceability. 3.3.2 At packer level Hoang Hau Company’s dragon fruit packing house was selected as packaging pilot model. Thereafter, project team had negotiated with Mr. Tran Ngoc Hiep (director) about level of implementation and the collaboration with project in development of the packing house to comply with BRC standard. By mid 2006, an MOU between Mr. Tran Ngoc Hiep and Dr. Nguyen Minh Chau was signed. In February 2007, Mr. Hiep had operated the plan of expanding his packing house to larger scale in future. The quality manual had transferred to Mr. Hiep both Vietnamese and English versions. While, in the meantime, SOFRI’s project team had conducted a number of trainings/consultant for positions working in the packing house and farm owners/managers. The contents of trainings and consultants are including: customers and customers’ demands; quality systems, objectives, packing house management, establishments and management; identification of “progress”; from farm through packing house to exporters; the linking between farmers and packer, responsibilities and expectations; Dragon fruit quality manual, writing, scope and implementation; identification of weakness, instructions for improvements with the purpose of improvement of the packing house, farms in according to the requirements of project pilot model, meeting to the quality manual and needed standards; Specification of position in the process and assumption the responsibility as the position description stated in the in the quality manual; training for each position stated as its responsibility in the pilot; Roles of internal auditor; responsibility of internal auditor; process of improvement and promotion for sustainable production. Dragon fruit Quality Manual for Producers and Packing house and GAP Manual for fruit producers CARD 037/04VIE – Developing GAP system for dragon fruit 41 3.3.3 At farm level The farmer group was set up and trainings were conducted for farmers on quality systems which fetch back more benefits if compliance to GAP. The project had also focused and instructed farmers specifically to help them to approach and comply with the standards before the auditing of certify body. The selected farmers’ group, however, could not meet the requirements due to lack of investment and too much depend on middlemen – collectors and these issues were not expected by project. The project, therefore, came back with selected the contracted farmers’ group supplying for packing house of Hoang Hau Dragon Fruit company and then to process the project as above said. Implementation of GAP on farm by project experts with farmers Internal auditing and correction farmer’s records 3.4 Certification and expanding the GAP dragon fruit pilot model Project team had negotiated with SGS Vietnam (Société Générale de Surveillance), responsibility for Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand, an international certify body, to provide information on auditing, evaluation the potential of certifying of project. General information on progress of implementation of the pilot model based on internal audit checklist of BRC/EUREPGAP to evaluate the model, certification and lastly, 80 ha of dragon fruit was certified for EUREPGAP in 2007. Base on the certified project pilot model – Hoang Hau Dragon Fruit company and its contracted supplying farmers’ group, got re- certificated by October 2008, with increase in area up to 230 ha (compared to 80 ha in 2007) and it was repeated in 2009. The achievement came from the enhancement of capability of local facilitators of project in regarding of techniques and proper skills in organisation and implementation. Currently, the project team is working to expand the GlobalGAP dragon fruit model in Tien Giang province up to 100 ha by the end of 2009 or 2010; While, in Long An province, the GlobalGAP dragon fruit model of 30 ha is being developed with expectation for certification by the end of 2010, and plan to expand up to 400 – 500 ha. GlobalGAP certification for contracted farmer group supplying dragon fruit to Hoang Hau Dragon Fruit Co. Xuan Vinh dragon fruit farm’s map, Ham Thuan Nam – Binh Thuan province Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 42 Though, SOFRI’s project team had made all effort in delivering the project but till now the BRC certification could not be completed due to the reasons below:  The pilot packer did not spend all effort and investment for the packing house in compliance to the selected standard; this is of the significant decline in fruit price in recent years.  There was a significant change in packing house staff, trained staff for HACCP, BRC, GlobalGAP, Internal Audit etc. left the position, and then project team had to delivered same trainings for other staff, but still lack of packing house personnel.  Asian markets’ varying, especially China market had made a considerable effect to the production of dragon fruit pilot model.  BRC issue 5 was more difficult to the packer than the issue 3.  There were some problems and constraints arising between X-ray plant owner with packer/exporter. 3.5 Building capacity While delivering the project, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoang had visited fruit GlobalGAP farms and BRC packing houses etc. in New Zealand and also participated in 2-day training course for Internal Auditing at Hasting NZ in July 2006. After that, through the agreement from New Zealand Organization of Quality (NZOQ), a training course for Introduction to Internal Auditor had been delivered to 8 staff of SOFRI by John Campbell and Nguyen Huu Hoang, using parts of training materials of the same course provided by NZOQ. As above said, Vietnam project team had also practically trained and learnt through project delivering to the pilot, documented materials and experience from project expert. SOFRI’s project team, therefore, had up-graded successfully the dragon fruit quality manual version 2.0 and even for other crops such as mango and citrus crop. SOFRI’s staff and other facilitators from established model of GlobalGAP of 30 people had also trained by SGS – Vietnam for GlobalGAP, HACCP, Internal Audit and Inspection in 2008. Dr. Nguyen Minh Chau, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa and Mr. Vo Huu Thoai had played role in developing the general regulations of VietGAP standard, this standard was issued on 28th December 2008. Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa, had established and consulted for mango GlobalGAP model at Song Hau Farm, as part of national project in which Dr. Nguyen Minh Chau was a project leader, and 11.7 ha mango farm had been certified for GlobalGAP in 2008. In 2009, SGS – Vietnam had organized a training course for Lead Auditor (LAC) in which two SOFRI’s staff, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa and Nguyen Huu Hoang were invited and qualified to be the lead auditor. SGS – Vietnam training on HACCP and Internal Audit for SOFRI and provincial staff Trainings on GAP, IPM on dragon fruit for farmers Nguyen Van Tuat, Pham Ngoc Dung, Nguyen Thi Ly, Le Thu Hien 43 3.6 Publication During delivering project, a number of publications had been released, in which some major publishing listed below:  Handbook for GAP fruit production. Agricultural Publisher, 2007.  Handbook for trainer for GAP fruit and vegetables (Training guidelines for trainer who are playing role as extension workers, technicians, members of Farming Association and etc.). Agricultural Publisher, 2008.  Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa also joined in another CARD project – IPM for citrus crop, he also developed the citrus GlobalGAP quality manual both in English and Vietnamese languages.  Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu had participated a seminar on Dragon fruit production, markets and exportation: challenges and potentials, held at Putrajaya, Malaysia on 20th November 2008. Dr. Hoa had reported with a power point presentation on: Status of research activities and the development of GAP system in Vietnam. 4. Conclusions and recommendations From the archived results, we could have some following conclusions:  The benchmarking survey on dragon fruit production and from the analytical data and discussions, some weakness had been found and needed to pay more attentions for correction and improvement to approach to and to get certificated for GlobalGAP for 230 ha of dragon fruit in 2008 and renewed certification the same area in 2009.  Two quality manual had been developed by project: (i) EurepGAP dragon fruit quality manual, after that, SOFRI’s project team had upgraded the EUREPGAP manual to GLOBALGAP with some details was put in and increase in content volume for producer and packer. (ii) Separation of section for BRC – standard for packing house and packer with other sections and also upgraded from issue 3 to issue 5.  Organising a number of training courses on GlobalGAP, ICM, safe use of agri- chemical, first aid, safe growth, etc. with certification granting to the trainees to prove to auditor during certification auditing.  Publishing three handbooks on GAP, VietGAP and other documents and materials, participation into several workshops/seminars with presentation topics on sharing experiences on implementation of GAP.  Training for SOFRI or provincial staff on Internal audit and inspection, HACCP, in which two SOFRI’s staff were recognised as Lead auditors. REFERENCE 1. Nguyen Minh Chau, 2007. Present SCENARIO, Market trends of the tropical and subtropical fruit industry in Vietnam, TFNet Report, 2007. 2. GLOBALGAP – www.globalgap.org