Proceedings Antonio L. Acedo Jr. Katinka Weinberger Editors 25-27 October 2007 Hanoi, Vietnam Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in Greater Mekong Subregion Countries Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in Greater Mekong Subregion Countries AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center Shanhua, Taiwan Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in Greater Mekong Subregion Countries Proceedings of a GMS workshop 25-27 October 2007 Hanoi, Vietnam Antonio L. Acedo Jr. Katinka Weinberger Editors AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center is the leading international nonprofit organization committed to alleviating poverty and malnutrition in the developing world through the increased production and consumption of safe vegetables. AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center P.O. Box 42 Shanhua, Tainan 74199 TAIWAN Tel: +886 6 583 7801 Fax: +886 6 583 0009 Email: info@worldveg.org Web: www.avrdc.org AVRDC Publication No: 09-731 ISBN 92-9058-178-6 Editor: Maureen Mecozzi AVRDC Publication Team: Kathy Chen, Vanna Liu, Chen Ming-che, Shiu-luan Lu © 2009 AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center Citation Acedo AL Jr., Weinberger K, editors. 2009. Best practices in postharvest management of leafy vegetables in Greater Mekong Subregion countries: Proceedings of a GMS workshop, 25-27 October 2007, Hanoi, Vietnam. AVRDC Publication No. 09-731. AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan. 165 p. Organizers AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, ADB Postharvest Project Office Vientiane, Laos Research Instituted of Fruits and Vegetables Hanoi, Vietnam Funding Asian Development Bank, through RETA 6376 Workshop participants Front (L-R): Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh, Vietnam; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh, Vietnam; Ms. Win Win Kyi, Myanmar/ AVRDC-WVC Small Enterprise Advisor, Dr. Sasitorn Tongchitpakdee, Thailand (Processing Expert); Dr. Chu Doan Thanh, Vietnam; Dr. Antonio Acedo Jr., Philippines/AVRDC-WVC Regional Project Coordinator, Dr. Chen ZongQi, China, Dr. Lemuel Diamante, Philippines (Processing Expert) Back (L-R): Mr. Borarin Buntong, Cambodia; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hung, Vietnam; Dr. Varit Srilaong, Thailand; Dr. Kyaw Nyein Aye, Myanmar; Ms. Luong Thi Song Van, Vietnam; Dr. Sirichai Kanlayanarat, Thailand; Dr. Li Hong, China; Dr. Li YunShou, China; Mr. Thongsavath Chanthasombath, Lao PDR; Mr. Chansomone Phomachan, Lao PDR; Mr. Nguyen Khac Trung, Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Duc Hanh, Vietnam Contents Acknowledgements iii Foreword iv Part 1: Problems and Needs of Leafy Vegetable Value Chains in Poverty-stricken Upland Areas in CLV and Available Country Interventions 1 Problems and Needs of Leafy Vegetable Value Chains in Selected Upland Areas in Cambodia and Available Country Interventions Mr. Borarin Buntong 2 Problems and Needs of Leafy Vegetable Value Chains in Selected Upland Areas in Lao PDR and Available Country Interventions Mr. Thongsavath Chanthsombath 9 Problems and Needs of Leafy Vegetable Value Chains in Selected Upland Areas in Vietnam and Available Country Interventions Dr. Chu Doan Thanh 17 Workshop Summary 25 Part 2: Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables 27 Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables in Myanmar Dr.Kyaw Nyein Aye 28 Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables in Yunnan, China Dr.Chen ZongQi 37 Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables in Thailand Dr.Sirichai Kanlayanarat 44 Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables Dr.Antonio Acedo Jr. 53 Workshop Summary 83 Part 3: Processing Technologies for Fresh Leafy Vegetables 84 Processing Technologies for Leafy Vegetables in Myanmar Ms. Win Win Kyi 85 Processing technologies for Leafy Vegetables in Yunnan, China Dr.Li Hong 92 Processing Technologies for Leafy Vegetables in Thailand Dr.Varit Srilaong 104 Processing Technologies for Leafy Vegetables in the Philippines and Other Parts of the World Dr.Lemuel Diamante 114 Processing Technologies for Leafy Vegetables Outside GMS Dr.Sasitorn Tongchitpakdee 133 Workshop Summary 144 Part 4: Concluding Discussion 146 Upland Agriculture Development in Yunnan, China Dr. Li YunShou 147 Summary of General Discussion 151 Annex 152 Program 153 Participants 159 Acknowledgements AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center and workshop participants gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Asian Development Bank through the RETA 6376 project. The organizers also thank the people who assisted in the preparations for the workshop and who facilitated and accommodated the group during the study tour. iii Foreword Postharvest technology (PHT) is crucial for perishable commodities such as leafy vegetables to bring down losses, improve marketing, and increase farm returns. It is of particular importance in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), one of the world’s leading vegetable producers and consumers, where the vegetable industry is seriously constrained by high postharvest losses and poor marketing systems. Initiatives to promote the postharvest sector could fuel economic growth, promote rural sustainability, and ease the problems of poverty, unemployment, and malnutrition in developing countries. PHT enables countries to participate effectively in domestic and international trade in light of increased competition due to trade liberalization and market reforms. AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center designed and instituted two PHT initiatives for vegetables in GMS funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The new ADB RETA 6376 project pursues PHT development for leafy vegetables, targeting small farmers and processors in upland areas in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. This project complements the ongoing initiative on fruit and vegetables (ADB RETA 6208). The ADB RETA 6376 workshop on Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 25-27 October 2007 sought to build the groundwork for future PHT research and development work for leafy vegetables in the region. The specific objectives of the workshop were to:  examine the needs and problems of leafy vegetable farmers and other supply chain actors in upland areas of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and the existing country initiatives addressing those needs/problems  review and document the fresh produce handling and processing technologies for leafy vegetables available in GMS and elsewhere  identify PHT to be developed and formulate the R&D details  foster regional cooperation to advance the vegetable industry in GMS countries The workshop gathered PHT experts, key project players and other development workers in GMS to discuss and analyze the initial findings of surveys on leafy vegetable value chains in upland areas of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Existing country interventions were examined in Session 1, and iv [...]... Reap and Kampong Cham) and priority leafy vegetables of the Cambodia surveys Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 3 Figure 2 Some postharvest practices for fresh leafy vegetables in Cambodia Top, l-r: field handling of harvested produce; sorting, trimming, cleaning; air drying Chinese kale leaves after washing Bottom, l-r: packaging; transport Survey questionnaire... some of the initial findings of the survey in Lao PDR Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 9 Vegetable Value Chain Survey Priority leafy vegetables and survey sites During the RETA 6376 Inception Workshop on July 3-5, 2007 in Vientiane, common cabbage and Chinese/green mustard were identified as the priority crops, while Vang vieng and Hinheub (in place of Kasy)... lacking Figure 5 Some indigenous postharvest techniques for fresh leafy vegetables in Lao PDR Conclusion Postharvest handling and processing of the project’s priority leafy vegetables are far from ideal and losses could be very large, especially when there is an oversupply Some handling and processing techniques are used but may need Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS... processing of leafy vegetables is far from ideal and losses could be very high, especially at peak season Main problems are rapid wilting, rotting, and inability to sell the vegetable at a good price due to lack of postharvest techniques such as storage, handling treatments, and processing Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 19 d) Some handling and processing... better control in harvesting and marketing their produce This is because after one month, the price of cabbage normally increases Other forms of loss incurred: Drying of outer leaves, insect-damaged heads Workshop Proceedings, 25-27 October 2007 Figure 3 Trimming losses in cabbage due to physical injury and rotting and leafy wilting and yellowing in Chinese mustard Figure 4 Lao technique in Chinese mustard... many types of containers of produce in the transport load without proper arrangement (improper stacking) overloading of transport load inability of plastic bag to protect the produce loose transport (produce transported without container) exposure to sun and rain during transport delays during transport or distribution Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 5... of the container proper arrangement of Chinese kale leaves inside the container to minimize leaf tearing and crushing individual wrapping of cabbage heads with old newsprint use of plastic bags to minimize weight loss, which is a form of modified atmosphere packaging exposing the cut butt end of cabbage heads to the heat of the sun for 1-2 hours before collection, to allow the cut end to dry and minimize... personnel in PHT, there is a lack of funding support for leafy vegetable PHT research and development Figure 3 Fermented common cabbage in retail market display in Cambodia Figure 4 Some indigenous/present postharvest techniques for leafy vegetables Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 7 Conclusion The survey opens up opportunities for proper application of development... Improvement of technique Available Interventions Addressing Postharvest Problems Figure 5 shows some of the indigenous/traditional techniques of leafy vegetable farmers and processors observed during the survey   14 Use of plastic bag for packaging, a form of MAP technique Cooling by top icing or ice packing Workshop Proceedings, 25-27 October 2007    Trimming cabbage and inverted positioning of head... Cham, were interviewed; the rest were farmers 4 Workshop Proceedings, 25-27 October 2007 Initial findings The RETA 6376-Cambodia team expert member from the Royal University of Agriculture who handled data input was trained by the AVRDC-HQ survey expert in survey data encoding The following are some initial findings of the survey: Harvesting and field handling Harvesting of cabbage and Chinese kale . Proceedings Antonio L. Acedo Jr. Katinka Weinberger Editors 25-27 October 2007 Hanoi, Vietnam Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in Greater Mekong Subregion. priority leafy vegetables of the Cambodia surveys. Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in GMS Countries 3 Figure 2. Some postharvest practices for fresh leafy. cabbage in retail market display in Cambodia. Figure 4. Some indigenous/present postharvest techniques for leafy vegetables. Best Practices in Postharvest Management of Leafy Vegetables in