Identifying socioeconomic constraints to improving sweetpotato quality and postharvest management in Papua New Guinea: preliminary results from a farm survey and marketability trials

摘要

Sweetpotato is the most important staple food crop in the PNG highlands. The market potential for sweet-potato in PNG (as a cash crop) has increased significantly in recent years due to urbanisation and the mining boom, especially in Port Moresby. However, postharvest losses are known to be high for sweetpotato produced in the highlands and transported to the distant coastal city markets of Port Moresby. Previous studies have identified factors contributing to postharvest losses to be: poor postharvest handling and packaging, poor marketing infrastructure (especially storage and transportation), fragmented supply-chain relationships, and a lack of understanding of market requirements and consumer preferences. To improve the situation, a better understanding of consumer preferences and how current postharvest practices affect quality is required. The main objective of this ongoing study is to identify specifically where changes are needed and to effect those changes. In particular, this paper contains a report of: 1. a farm household survey to understand quality perceptions and current postharvest practices 2. a postharvest training workshop to educate farmers on quality issues and how to effect change 3. marketability and grading trials to define quality to indicate where improvement can be made. The results suggest that most farmers are aware of the issues of postharvest losses. However, they are either unable to effect change because of lack of resources, or are unwilling to try because it is perceived to be someone else's responsibility. The main methodological lesson learned is that it takes time and requires significant resources on the ground to change attitudes and behaviour.