Da Lat cut flower supply chain and the gaps between different actors
B.N. Le and P.J. Batt
Book of Abstracts.International Conference on Quality Management in Supply Chains of Ornamentals. 21-24 February, 2012. Golden Tulip Sovereign Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
2012
บทคัดย่อ
This study seeks to examine alternative cut flower supply chains in Da Lat, Viet Nam and the activities that each actor performs to improve the quality of the cut flowers for end consumers. The sample consisted of 210 chrysanthemum and rose growers, 41 traders, 41 wholesalers, 42 retailers in Da Lat and 54 retailers in Ho Chi Minh City. At the farm level, two broad strategies are available: (1) farmers may choose to sell the standing crop to traders or (2) to harvest, grade, pack and sell to wholesalers or direct to retailers. At harvest, from 1% - 42% of the chrysanthemum and from 0% - 20% of the roses were rejected on the basis of poor quality. At the farm level, the major quality constraints identified include the bad quality of cut flower, stunt stem, pest and disease damage, premature dead, bad varieties and bad cultivation technique. From the prices paid to farmers, it was evident that the market was not able to reward growers for the production of superior quality flowers. For market intermediaries, the major quality constraints identified include bad quality such as curve stem, short stems, not meet the requirement in weight and height, maturity problems and pest and disease problems. As quality cannot be improved after harvest, farmers must adopt appropriate production techniques to reduce postharvest losses through choose a best varieties, technical support and provide a standard quality for cut flower.