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to adjust their production techniques and operations to

comply and be more aggressive in the competitive market.

One aspect of safety is the minimum residual level, which

sets the levels for chemical use.

Products destined to the export market are subject to

compliance to the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements

of the importing countries. In this regard, the farmers have

to be informed and trained on the importance of such regula-

tions to ensure that the fruits are acceptable, not only for the

export but also for the domestic market.

The increase in prices of farm inputs is another major issue

which can affect sustainable production. Organizing farm

families into groups or cooperatives is one way to reduce cost

through the bulk purchase of inputs, besides utilizing means

to increase production such as better-yielding cultivars and

improved production technologies.

The ever-growing demand for tropical fruits in the domestic

market as well as from consuming countries such as the USA,

EU and Japan, promises an optimistic future for the tropical

fruit industry, not only for multinationals but also for farm

families. Appropriate policies need to be formulated and

implemented to provide support for farmers to produce more

efficiently. Research and development on improving quality

and production, such as the introduction of better cultivars

and improved modern production technologies, need to be

better focused on marketable fruits. Extension systems need

to be reviewed for their effectiveness in the transfer of tech-

nology besides other knowledge such as market demands and

the importance of food safety. To sustain production, fruit

farmers must also have access to credit facilities, which are

needed to expand production.

It would be an advantage for farm families to be institu-

tionalized into farmers’ groups or cooperatives to improve

collective capabilities. With the development of collection

and processing centres for fruits, there will be more job

opportunities available in the rural areas. However, infra-

structures such as roads are necessary to reduces losses and

improve accessibility to markets.

For the past few decades, extension has been focused on

methods to improve fruit quality and food safety in tropical

fruit producing countries, sometimes with the assistance of

non-governmental organizations. Farmers now have a better

understanding of the type of produce desired by consumers.

The trend is now shifting for fruit farmers to go into mono-

cropping, or growing more of the most profitable fruit type.

While this may be preferred to increasing income for better

profit and for boosting the local economy, fruit farmers also

need to have a few other fruit types on their land to provide

nutrition for a balanced diet.

Besides being labelled as exotic, tropical fruit has been

promoted as healthy and nutritious in containing miner-

als, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. This makes it a good

alternative or complement to other temperate fruits. With

the expected increase in domestic and global demand, farm

families growing these fruits should be given the opportu-

nity to integrate into the value chains and have access to

the markets, so that production can be sustained and their

livelihoods will be improved.

In most tropical fruit producing countries, farmers are growing more marketable fruit types to increase family income

Image: International Tropical Fruits Network

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