Articles
Tropical and subtropical fruits in Asia: future prospects and limitations
Article number
1186_31
Pages
199 – 202
Language
English
Abstract
The presence of a large number of undernourished people in the Asian region indicates the need to increase production and consumption of fruits from the current level.
Low yields of fruits and slow growth in spurring productivity are the major problems to enhance their availability in many countries.
In most countries of Asia, until recently fruit production technologies at farmersRSQUO level is conducted at subsistence level using obsolete technologies.
However, a variety of improved productive and profitable technologies are available both globally and regionally that allow increasing production and profitability.
Providing access to these technologies and their adaption to suit local circumstances can play a crucial role in promoting fruit crops in this region.
Appropriate policy direction and implementation of policies is an issue that needs serious consideration as this region is the fastest growing region of the world.
Economic growth is likely to stimulate increase in per capita consumption of fruits, mainly in the countries where food grain self-sufficiency is achieved.
Rapid urbanization, rising incomes and diet diversity have created necessary preconditions for ramping up fruit consumption.
Harmonization of fruit policies with food crop policies will play a crucial role if we want to make substantial advances in the production of fruits.
As a policy direction, farmers should not be encouraged to seek gains only in productivity of fruits, and efforts should be directed to making fruit production both profitable and remunerative to farmers.
To make it happen, farmers should be incentivized to promote a value-chain approach from plough to plate.
Adoption of this strategy can make fruit production more sustainable.
Low yields of fruits and slow growth in spurring productivity are the major problems to enhance their availability in many countries.
In most countries of Asia, until recently fruit production technologies at farmersRSQUO level is conducted at subsistence level using obsolete technologies.
However, a variety of improved productive and profitable technologies are available both globally and regionally that allow increasing production and profitability.
Providing access to these technologies and their adaption to suit local circumstances can play a crucial role in promoting fruit crops in this region.
Appropriate policy direction and implementation of policies is an issue that needs serious consideration as this region is the fastest growing region of the world.
Economic growth is likely to stimulate increase in per capita consumption of fruits, mainly in the countries where food grain self-sufficiency is achieved.
Rapid urbanization, rising incomes and diet diversity have created necessary preconditions for ramping up fruit consumption.
Harmonization of fruit policies with food crop policies will play a crucial role if we want to make substantial advances in the production of fruits.
As a policy direction, farmers should not be encouraged to seek gains only in productivity of fruits, and efforts should be directed to making fruit production both profitable and remunerative to farmers.
To make it happen, farmers should be incentivized to promote a value-chain approach from plough to plate.
Adoption of this strategy can make fruit production more sustainable.
Authors
S. Dasgupta
Keywords
tropical fruits, subtropical fruits, Asia, production, sustainable, value chain
Groups involved
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