Articles
CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN HORTICULTURAL AND FRUIT CROPS IN PERU
Article number
621_6
Pages
53 – 67
Language
English
Abstract
Research and Technology Transfer in Peru has focused on traditional or basic food crops, and concentrated on plant breeding.
Lack of specialized human resources, solid budgets and continuity of investment have resulted in minimal attention to demands for new agricultural technology and services.
In general, existing data on RTT in governmental institutions is not adequately systematized to be readily available and useful and needs to be integrated into processes or goods, which demands the existence of idoneus capacities in order to be offered to the market.
Fruit and vegetable crop production, quality and profitability is limited by internal factors including: a) importing policies and tariffs b) infrastructure deficiencies, c) inadequate storage and cold chain facilities d) credit cost and availability e) modern farm management skills f) ineffective producer organizations g) lack of dependable market information h) inefficient farm sizes and i) inadequate agricultural technology.
Limiting external factors include: a) changes in the world economy, and b) economic and agricultural policies of other governments.
Technological innovation is the key for productivity and for competitiveness.
Nevertheless, the capacity to utilize this technology in order to realize possible competitive advantages is critical.
Factors that were historically considered basic for agricultural competitiveness in Peru (including cheap land or hand labor), are losing their advantages to the capacity to interpret and adjust to, or create, demand.
Off-farm profitability opportunities are increasing for horticultural crops.
Thus, research and development (R&D) and growers have to increase integration into the marketing system.
In the traditional world of commodities, the orientation that predominates for R&D processes is to find solutions to production problems and to search for competitive advantage through productivity increases or by cost reduction.
In todays scenarios, in which tropical fruit and vegetable crops are being established, the orientation should be toward the generation of new market opportunities.
This does not mean that productivity and cost reduction themes are less important, but a change of emphasis.
R&D should consider the occurrence of other aspects more closely linked to markets and product uses than to the products themselves.
Marketing themes such as quality, harvesting season, conservation and processing possibilities, and tendency of the demand for these products drive todays markets.
Examples of successful technology development and application requiring joint public-private promotional collaborative efforts are discussed in the document.
Lack of specialized human resources, solid budgets and continuity of investment have resulted in minimal attention to demands for new agricultural technology and services.
In general, existing data on RTT in governmental institutions is not adequately systematized to be readily available and useful and needs to be integrated into processes or goods, which demands the existence of idoneus capacities in order to be offered to the market.
Fruit and vegetable crop production, quality and profitability is limited by internal factors including: a) importing policies and tariffs b) infrastructure deficiencies, c) inadequate storage and cold chain facilities d) credit cost and availability e) modern farm management skills f) ineffective producer organizations g) lack of dependable market information h) inefficient farm sizes and i) inadequate agricultural technology.
Limiting external factors include: a) changes in the world economy, and b) economic and agricultural policies of other governments.
Technological innovation is the key for productivity and for competitiveness.
Nevertheless, the capacity to utilize this technology in order to realize possible competitive advantages is critical.
Factors that were historically considered basic for agricultural competitiveness in Peru (including cheap land or hand labor), are losing their advantages to the capacity to interpret and adjust to, or create, demand.
Off-farm profitability opportunities are increasing for horticultural crops.
Thus, research and development (R&D) and growers have to increase integration into the marketing system.
In the traditional world of commodities, the orientation that predominates for R&D processes is to find solutions to production problems and to search for competitive advantage through productivity increases or by cost reduction.
In todays scenarios, in which tropical fruit and vegetable crops are being established, the orientation should be toward the generation of new market opportunities.
This does not mean that productivity and cost reduction themes are less important, but a change of emphasis.
R&D should consider the occurrence of other aspects more closely linked to markets and product uses than to the products themselves.
Marketing themes such as quality, harvesting season, conservation and processing possibilities, and tendency of the demand for these products drive todays markets.
Examples of successful technology development and application requiring joint public-private promotional collaborative efforts are discussed in the document.
Authors
H. Villachica, J. Toledo
Keywords
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