Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 38 ESTABLISHMENTOFTHEGLOBALGAPSYSTEMFORDRAGONFRUITFAMERSANDEXPORTERINTHESOUTHERNPROVINCES Proj ect title: Developing GAP systems fordragonfruit producers and exporters in Binh Thuan and Tien Giang provinces Project c ode : CARD 037/04 VIE Authors: Nguyen Van Hoa 1 , Nguyen Huu Hoang 1 , John M. Campbell 2 , Nguyen Minh Chau 2 Project Implementing organi sations: 1 SouthernFruit Research Institute 2 Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand SUMMARY In Vietnam, at present, the area fordragonfruit is over 13,500 ha with the production of more than 211,000 tones andthe average area per ho usehold is 0.5 - 1 ha. Returns from dragonfruit (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, pack er and supplying DF growers in which the European high value market driven standards of BRC at the packer andGlobalGAP at the farmer level have been implemented. Andthe results coming with (i) Field farmers’ benchmarking survey were completed and its rep ort was delivered to SOFRI personnel, packers, farmers, MARD and DARD personnel in 2007. (ii) Selection of a packer/exporter and farmer group fortheGlobalGAP implementation. Training ofthe Pilot members for improvement towards British Retailers Consorti um: Global Standard – Food (BRC) forthe packer and EurepGAP/GlobalGAP forthe 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 d one and then the Certification for EURAPGAP with 80 ha ofdragonfruit production has been achieved in 2007 and re - certified and expanded forGlobalGAPin 2008 with 230 ha and again in 2009 with the same areas, while the packhouse are being auditing for BR C certification. (iii) Thedragonfruit quality manuals forthe 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 ofthe Manual into Vietnamese has been distributed to the farmers and packers. The Vietnamese personnel have upgraded the EUREGAP manual to GlobalGAPin Vietnamese andthe BRC also revised to the new version 5 in Vietnamese. (iv) The national personnel capacity building inGlobalGAPand BR C were well done with plenty of technical staff and farmers trained. 1. Introduction Recently, dragonfruit 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 d epending on production areas of which are either in Mekong Delta Regions or in Binh Thuan province (Nguyen Minh Chau, 2007). The benefits from dragonfruit industry will be improved significantly as if small land - holding dragonfruit farmers and exporters could expand its markets to the new and high value ones in EU or Northern America. This, however, thedragonfruit exporters should be market driven and initiative in exploring potential markets for themselves. He high value markets from Japan, EU and Nort hern 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 ofGlobalGAPfordragonfruit producers and exporters inthe South of Vietnam, was aimed to develop a CARD 037/04VIE – Developing GAP systemfordragonfruit 39 systemfordragonfruit industry in ensuring of quality for exporting to high value markets. Establishmentof pilot model fordragonfruit 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 indragonfruit production areas in Binh Thuan, Tien Giang and Long provinces. The common aim was “Benefit of each stakehold ers 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 ofdragonfruit compliance to GAP will ensure the sust ainable growth indragonfruit industry. This growth also ensures the increase of mummer of small land holders to join inthe programme and therefore the improvement of rural life standards is indispensable. The enhancement of national capacity both in pub lic and private sectors through practical implementing of GAP is included. Evaluation of practical producing ofdragonfruitin Vietnam in comparison to EUREPGAP standards by surveillance in a large scale from Binh Thuan to Tien Giang and Long provinces, t he development of questionnaire and result analysis and evaluation were carried out by HortResearch’s experts. Enhancement in knowledge ofdragonfruit producing for SOFRI’s staff andestablishmentof systems to improve the sustainable production and reso lve 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 t he requirements, SOFRI’s staff had organized a number of training courses and consultancies as well for farmers and packers. Development ofdragonfruitGlobalGAP quality manual, Vietnam counterpart had to develop the codes and suitable training materials, safety for environment for friendly implementation and feasible fordragonfruit pilot model as well as for other cases or crops. Establishmentof required quality systems fordragonfruit industry to implement and also regard as core of solid systemin e nabling the pilot model got certified for EurepGAP/GlobalGAP standards. 3. Research results and discussions 3.1 Benchmarking survey ofdragonfruit production The benchmarking survey ofdragonfruit 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 ofdragon 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 th e 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 andthe translated into Vietna mese. The manual development was based up the specific background which met to the requirements of quality systems forthe project pilot model, forthe farmer section complying to EUREPGAP and section for packer was based on BRC (British Retailers Consorti um, 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 & Ngu yen Minh Chau 40 By the end of 2007 andin early 2008, SOFRI’s project personnel had re - written the manual as a version 2.0: upgrad ing the EurepGAP to GlobalGAP standards with changes in content and form; Re - writing and upgrading the quality management systemfor packing house to become a manual forDragonfruit quality management system manual – for packer compliance to BRC standards – Issue 5. 3.3 Establishmentof 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 b oth standards will be supplementing to each other to ensure dragonfruit 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 dragonfruit packing house was selected as packaging pilot model. Thereafter, project team had negotiated with Mr. Tran Ngoc Hiep (director) about level of implementation andthe collaboration with project in development ofthe 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, inthe meantime, SOFRI’s project team had conducted a number of trainings/consultant for positions working inthe packing house and farm owners/managers. The contents of trainings and consultants ar e 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, respons ibilities and expectations; Dragonfruit quality manual, writing, scope and implementation; identification of weakness, instructions for improvements with the purpose of improvement ofthe packing house, farms in according to the requirements of project pi lot model, meeting to the quality manual and needed standards; Specification of position inthe process and assumption the responsibility as the position description stated intheinthe quality manual; training for each position stated as its responsibili ty inthe pilot; Roles of internal auditor; responsibility of internal auditor; process of improvement and promotion for sustainable production. Dragonfruit Quality Manual fo r P roducers and Packing house and GAP Manual forfruit producers CARD 037/04VIE – Developing GAP systemfordragonfruit 41 3.3.3 At farm level The farmer group was set up and trainings were conducted for farmers on quality systems whi ch 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 m eet 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 H au DragonFruit 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 dragonfruit 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 provid e information on auditing, evaluation the potential of certifying of project. General information on progress of implementation ofthe pilot model based on internal audit checklist of BRC/EUREPGAP to evaluate the model, certification and lastly, 80 ha of d ragon fruit was certified for EUREPGAP in 2007. Base on the certified project pilot model – Hoang Hau DragonFruit 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 exp andtheGlobalGAPdragonfruit model in Tien Giang province up to 100 ha by the end of 2009 or 2010; While, in Long An province, theGlobalGAPdragonfruit 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 dragonfruit to Hoang Hau DragonFruit Co. Xuan Vinh dragonfruit 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 effo rt 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 forthe packing house in compliance to the selected standard; this is ofthe significa nt decline infruit 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 sti ll lack of packing house personnel. Asian markets’ varying, especially China market had made a considerable effect to the production ofdragonfruit pilot model. BRC issue 5 was more difficult to the packer than the issue 3. There were some problems and co nstraints arising between X - ray plant owner with packer/exporter. 3.5 Building capacity While delivering the project, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoang had visited fruitGlobalGAP 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 ofthe 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 thedragonfruit 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 ofGlobalGAPof 30 people ha d 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 o n 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 forGlobalGAPin 2 008. 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 dragonfruitfor 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 fruitand vegetables (Training guidelines for trainer who are playing role as extension workers, technicians, member s 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 Dragonfruit 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 andthe development of GAP systemin Vietnam. 4. Conclusions and recommendation s From the archived results, we could have some following conclusions: The benchmarking survey on dragonfruit production and from the analytical data and d iscussions, some weakness had been found and needed to pay more attentions for correction and improvement to approach to and to get certificated forGlobalGAPfor 230 ha ofdragonfruitin 2008 and renewed certification the same area in 2009. Two quality manual had been developed by project: (i) EurepGAP dragonfruit quality manual, after that, SOFRI’s project team had upgraded the EUREPGAP manual to GLOBALGAP with some details was put inand increase in content volume for producer and packer. (ii) Separat ion 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 certificat ion 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 i mplementation 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 ofthe tropical and subtr opical fruit industry in Vietnam, TFNet Report, 2007. 2. GLOBALGAP – www.globalgap.org . Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 38 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GLOBALGAP SYSTEM FOR DRAGON FRUIT FAMERS AND EXPORTER IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES Proj ect title: Developing GAP systems. 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. 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