Participants of SATNET interregional visit take part in Workshop on Good Practices in Trade Facilitation

On day 4 (26 September 2014) of the Interregional Visit for Smallholder Value Chain Actors on Agricultural Trade Facilitation and Market Linkages in Thailand, the participants took part in the ‘SATNET Asia Workshop on Good Practices in Agricultural Trade Facilitation in South and Southeast Asia’ organized by the Trade and Investment Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in collaboration with multiple partners, in Bangkok. The objective of the workshop was to enable inter- and intra-regional learning among participating countries on policies, measures, initiatives, projects or cases that facilitate trade of agriculture or food products.

Close to 40 delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Nepal representing government, private sector and civil society stakeholders participated in the workshop. The various sessions focussed on cases and processes relating to agricultural trade facilitation, good practices in logistics and trade facilitation, and the emergence of standards and traceability. A number of senior policymakers and experts served as resource persons and shared their knowledge and experience with the participants. 

During the wrap up session of the workshop, participants provided their feedback on both the Interregional Visit and the Workshop. They conveyed that the site visits to Kasetsart University, Thayang farmers cooperative, Talaad Thai wholesale market, and Sampran Riverside resort had enhanced their capacities and provided them useful knowledge and practical insights which they will implement and disseminate in their home countries. The need for continuing a network like SATNET beyond the immediate duration of the project was also expressed. In the workshop, the sharing of cases from various countries and the discussion on Traceability were found to be particularly relevant. 

Participants of SATNET interregional visit learn about wholesale market operations and organic farming

Talaad Thai wholesale market

On day 3 (25 September 2014) of the Interregional Visit for Smallholder Value Chain Actors on Agricultural Trade Facilitation and Market Linkages in Thailand, the participants visited the Talaad Thai Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market in Pathumthani province near Bangkok - one of the largest fruit and vegetable wholesale markets in Thailand. They were welcomed by the senior management of the company who presented an overview of the operations of the market. Talaad Thai is spread over an area of 200 acres, with a capacity of handling 15,000 tons of produce a day and having a daily cash flow of 400 – 500 million Thai Baht (USD 12 – 15 million). It is divided into various zones, each dedicated to trading of a particular product or product category. The revenue of the company comes from commissions paid by permanent traders (who are allotted a permanent trading space in the market), entrance fee from non-permanent traders, and rentals for office space.

The participants visited the vegetable, seafood and fish, fruits, and flower trading zones to get a first-hand feel of how the market operates. They also visited the waste recycling facility, and the contamination testing laboratory which tests 150 random samples every day to ensure the quality of the produce marketed at Talaad Thai. The participants keenly observed various aspects of the market and sought additional information from the staff for a better understanding of the market. Participants from Bangladesh conveyed the visit was very useful for their plans to set up a local wholesale market in their home country.

Visit to farmers resource centre at Sampran riverside 

In the afternoon, the participants visited the Sampran Riverside resort in Sampran district which is implementing an innovative social enterprise to develop a value chain of organic producers. The ‘Sampran Model’ project has been promoting organic practices in the local farming community to break the vicious cycle of chemical inputs – land degradation – pest resurgence - more chemical inputs – increase in debt and health problems. In addition to advocating the benefits of organic farming and providing training to farmers, the project helps in marketing of the produce through the ‘TalatSookjai’ weekend market and sourcing for the resort’s own needs. It is also enabling market linkages for farmers with five-star hotels and offices in Bangkok. The project represents a partnership between the local community, private sector (for financial support), local government agencies and universities (for knowledge and training). Two hundred and twenty five local farmers have enlisted their interest in taking up organic farming and some of them have already attained organic certification from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). The participants saw a presentation on the project, and expressed strong interest in the outcomes and new perspectives emerging from the project. They also visited the resource centre run by the resort for farmers and learnt about various tools and products such as soil analysis kit, organic plant growth promoters, botanical insecticides, trichoderma (a beneficial fungi), and vermicompost.  

Group photo