Strawberry Marketing System
·
Asif Maqbool
·
Muhammad Rasheed
The Agriculture
sector is the lifeline of Pakistan's economy.
Fertile Agricultural land in Pakistan is
blessed with a multitude of resources, well-irrigated plains, extremes of
weather, and old tradition of farming. Agriculture share is 21.4 percent
of GDP, employs 45 percent of the country’s labor force and contributes to the
growth of other sectors of the economy. It is strongly linked to food security,
poverty alleviation, rural development (GOP, 2013). Pakistan comprises of four
provinces, namely Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyberpakhtunekhwa. Out of
four provinces, Punjab is the most populous and also has the fertile lands and
suitable for cultivation of large varieties of crops including fruit and
vegetable. Pakistan has a geographical area of 79.61 million hectares and
occupies 21.41 million hectares of cultivated area, which is 26.88 percent of
total geographical area of Pakistan. Forest area of Pakistan is 4.23 million
hectares, which is 5.3 percent of total geographical area. Pakistan has 7.82
million hectares of culture-able wastage, which is 9.8 percent of total
geographical area and 23.53 million hectares geographical area which is not
available for cultivation accounts 29.55 percent.
Horticulture is one
of the major subsections of Agriculture. It contributes 12 percent in overall
agriculture GDP of Pakistan. Under the changing
agriculture scenario, it has been recognized that the horticulture sector plays
a very important role in providing the employment to the farmers globally. The
diversification in agriculture for improving sustainability, profitability and
productivity will help in not only improving the farm income but also will
engender rewarding employment. Fresh fruits
and vegetables are important components of a healthy and balanced diet; their
consumption is encouraged in many countries by government health agencies to
protect against a range of illnesses such as cancers and cardiovascular
diseases. Pakistan annually produces about
13.5 million tons of fruits and vegetables, As far as fruit cultivation
is concerned, the area under cultivation is 836 million Acres and annually
fresh production of fruits is 6926.7 tones.
Horticultural
crops have quite a diverse production and storage attributes. Some can be grown
in a variety of climates and locations, while others can be grown in only a few
places. Some, such as apples or Dates, can be stored but many must be consumed
or processed soon after harvesting. This makes geographical distance important
in determining trade patterns of fruits and vegetables, compared with patterns
for the major field crops.
Fragaria
ananassa commonly known as strawberry, which is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma,
bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness that is cultivated worldwide for
its fruit. There are more than 600 varieties of strawberry fruits that
differ in size, texture, and flavor. The name 'strawberry', that it holds is
derived from a farmers' practice of mulching the plant with straw. There is one
more theory about the origin of the word strawberry. Strawberries being
abundant in nature were not cultivated as a cash-crop. Strawberries strewn
among fallen leaves were a common sight in olden days. This might have led to
the development of the word strawberry from the two words, 'strewn' and
'berries'. In England, children used to pick strawberries scattered in the wild
and sell them in local markets. In order to handle them properly, the
strawberries were tied to pieces of straws. The plant first had the name strew-berry, which later was changed to
strawberry. Varieties of strawberries are also
found in Europe. The history of strawberry in Italy can be traced back to 234
B.C
Pakistan is producing a very small quantity
of strawberries which are either directly consumed or used in making medicines,
ice-cream, flavors, jelly, jams, chocolates, cake and
milkshake. Strawberry
is widely used in cosmetics like shampoos, moisturizers, cleansers, soaps, etc. It is most appetizing and very nutritious fruit with a sweet essence and
attractive aroma. It has enormous dietetic and one of the potential source
minerals and proteins particularly iron. Strawberry is best suitable for raw
consumption. Delicious fruit but it is a bit expensive in Pakistan. The
strawberry, like many other perishable fruits at this time, remained a luxury
item only enjoyed by the wealthy peoples. The main varieties of strawberry
which are cultivated in Pakistan are Toro and Douglas suitable for southern
areas of Pakistan. Overall agriculture is very risky business as well as
Strawberry is also very perishable product and its marketing is also very risky
and insecure. At the start of the season the price of fruit is charged round Rs.300 to Rs.200 per kg in big
cities. Then average price comes down to Rs.100 to Rs.50 per Kg in the mid of the
season and end of the season.
Fruits and vegetables are perishable in nature and cannot be stored for
longer periods, which result in very sensitive and complicated trading of these
horticultural commodities and exposing big challenges to suppliers, processors
and traders. In addition, the inconsistent availability of healthy fruits and
vegetables from farm-gate to the consumers, continuous quality assurance push
by the traders and supermarkets, competitive global environment, increasing
trend of better supply by companies of other competitive countries and also
more and more implications of quality standards are also other parallel
competitive elements making this business more vulnerable and complex. Fruits
and vegetables require certain effective post harvest management practices for
better quality and ultimate price. Therefore, to cope with these challenges,
the only integrated way to be applied from farm gate collection through
washing, grading, packaging, storage and marketing to ultimate consumers is to
establish the consistent and sustainable supply system of “Farm-To- end
Consumer”, currently transformed as Supply Chain Management (SCM).
Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the
outside of the skin. One strawberry fruit item produces on an average 200
seeds. There is a museum in Belgium just for
strawberries. The strawberry was a symbol for Venus, the Goddess of Love,
because of its heart shapes and red color. Strawberry fruit plant belongs to
the rose family. It is believed that the strawberries
and other parts of the strawberry plant can alleviate or aid in the treatment
of various diseases or disorders. Many medicinal uses were claimed for
the wild strawberry, its leaves and root. The ancient Romans believed that the
berries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers,
throat infections, kidney stones, halitosis, attacks of gout, and diseases of
the blood, liver and spleen. It is said that the leaves, roots and fruits of
this variety of strawberry were used for a digestive or skin tonic. Internally,
the berry was used for diarrhea and digestive upset, while the leaves and the
roots were used for gout. Externally, it was used for sunburn and skin
blemishes, and the fruit juice was used for discolored teeth.
Strawberries are
highly perishable and need careful handling and severe adherence to suitable
postharvest management practices in order to sustain finest fruit quality after
harvest. For utmost market life, strawberries need rapid removal of field heat
coupled with low temperature storage (0 to 1º C) and maintenance of the cold
chain during transport and distribution. With best possible postharvest care
and the proper cultivar, strawberries have a 7 to 10 day market life. In order
to realize this potential market life, careful attention must be given to all
the details of product handling, packaging, and postharvest temperature and
relative humidity management. Appropriate postharvest temperature management is
the single most important factor influencing strawberry market life and fruit quality.
Good field cleanliness is a central aspect of maintaining high percentages of
market quality fruit throughout the entire harvest season. Injured, defective,
over-ripe, or decayed fruit should be removed carefully from the field during
each harvest by placing it into a separate container on the picking cart. This
will prevent the spread of disease from infected/rotting fruit to healthy
fruit.
Appropriate postharvest temperature management is the single most
important factor influencing strawberry market life and fruit quality.
Strawberry harvesting should begin early in the morning after dew on the fruit
surface has dried. Avoid harvesting strawberries in the afternoon. Strawberries
are harvested at different stages of maturity, depending on the cultivar and
market preference. Maturity in strawberries is best indexed by external surface
color and firmness of the fruit. Strawberry fruit is very susceptible to
bruising. They should be picked with great care. A significant amount of
bruising can occur at harvest when the berry is detached and if the picker
holds several fruits in one hand prior to transfer to the picking container.
Today’s
society is characterized by an increasing health consciousness and growing
interest in the role of food in maintaining and improving human well-being and
consumer health. Vegetables and fruits are fully recognized for their benefits
towards healthy living. Strawberry is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. The
fact that strawberry contains fewer calories makes it an excellent food for
diabetics and patients in general. Strawberries can be grown indoors in
strawberry pots, and also be propagated by seed which is not widely practiced
commercially. Strawberries can be grown almost anywhere including as a potted
plant. Planting strawberries need somewhat sandy soil and preferably in full
sun. During the time that the plant is forming fruit, enough water is needed.
Strawberry production is complex, and intensive
management is needed to produce a successful commercial crop. Growers must know
the physiological needs of the crop, proper cultural practices, and
identification and control of insects, diseases, weeds, and pests. Cultural
practices vary tremendously, according to growing region, production system,
and cultivar. Prospective
growers must understand financing, cash flow, business management, and
marketing; attention to detail and meticulous record keeping are essential.
Table 1.1 shows that strawberry is a rich source of many vitamins
including C, E and K. It also contains Calcium, Carbohydrates, Potassium,
Magnesium and other minerals which are useful for our health.
Table : Nutritive value of strawberry per 100g
Item
|
Quantity
|
Calcium
|
16 mg
|
Carbohydrates
|
7.68g
|
Iron
|
0.41mg
|
Niacin
|
0.386mg
|
Phosphorus
|
24mg
|
|
|
153mg
|
|
|
13mg
|
Vitamin
C
|
58.8mg
|
Vitamin
E
|
0.29mg
|
Vitamin
K
|
2.2 μg
|
Choline
|
5.7 mg
|
According to Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, USA is the largest
strawberry producing country in the world with a share of 32.79 percent of world
production. Other major strawberry producing countries are Turkey, Spain,
Korea, Mexico, Japan, Poland and Egypt.
Table World Strawberry Production (Metric Tons)
Years
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
U.S.A
|
1 053 240
|
1 090 440
|
1 109 220
|
1 148 350
|
1 270 640
|
1 294 180
|
Spain
|
320 853
|
330 485
|
269 139
|
281 240
|
263 700
|
275 300
|
Turkey
|
200 000
|
211 127
|
250 316
|
261 078
|
291 996
|
299 940
|
Korea
|
201 995
|
205 307
|
203 227
|
192 296
|
203 772
|
231 803
|
Russian
Fed
|
221 000
|
227 000
|
230 400
|
180 000
|
185 000
|
165 000
|
Japan
|
196 200
|
190 700
|
191 400
|
190 700
|
184 700
|
177 500
|
Poland
|
184 627
|
193 666
|
174 578
|
200 723
|
198 907
|
176 748
|
Mexico
|
162 627
|
191 843
|
176 396
|
207 485
|
233 041
|
226 657
|
Italy
|
146 769
|
143 315
|
160 558
|
155 583
|
163 044
|
153 875
|
Egypt
|
100 000
|
128 349
|
174 414
|
200 254
|
242 776
|
238 432
|
Strawberries have been
grown in California since the early 1900’s. Today, over 25,000 acres of
strawberries are planted each year in California and the state produces over
80% of the strawberries grown in the United States. On an average, each acre
produces about 21 tons of strawberries and the state produces one billion
pounds of strawberries a year (FAO, 2012).
Country economy depends on the government
reserves, as much more export and less imports economy gets stronger. If we
talk about the strawberry exports then Spain is the most leading country in the
world strawberry export with a share of 45.84 percent.
Table World Strawberry Export (Metric Tons)
Years
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
Spain
|
216 641
|
207 974
|
186 377
|
188 042
|
224 618
|
360 204
|
U.S.A.
|
97 383
|
103 953
|
116 744
|
129 236
|
130 027
|
139 810
|
Mexico
|
52 357
|
70 970
|
66 914
|
71 769
|
61 893
|
66 019
|
Belgium
|
42 289
|
39 089
|
39 004
|
38 038
|
38 044
|
38 573
|
Netherlands
|
39 564
|
29 525
|
35 068
|
31 854
|
40 459
|
43 090
|
France
|
40 999
|
34 439
|
23 998
|
23 228
|
23 191
|
18 000
|
Italy
|
22 887
|
22 917
|
17 746
|
23 285
|
17 000
|
17 914
|
Morocco
|
27 045
|
19 494
|
18 066
|
21 946
|
21 602
|
18 396
|
Poland
|
22 691
|
24 329
|
17 315
|
14 024
|
16 188
|
15 078
|
Egypt
|
3 054
|
12 676
|
21 613
|
9 284
|
66 992
|
17 513
|
In Pakistan average per acre yield is very low as compared to other
strawberry growing countries of the world due to lack of proper agricultural
practices, unavailability of basic inputs, lack of research and economic
restriction between the strawberry cultivars. This fruit has many prospects but
it needs proper care and handling to increase its marketing. Like other fruit
marketing of strawberry is also facing a lot of problems which is mainly
improper marketing practices, inappropriate method of picking, less production,
poor quality of fruits and insufficient and improper transportation and storage
facilities. The present study is designed to estimate market margins, marketing
efficiency and role of different market players along with identification of
the main impediments faced with selecting respondents in the marketing of
strawberry in the study area.
