Nguyen et al Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 5 (3), pp. 096-104, June 2015. ISSN: 2276-7770 Research Paper Manuscript Number: 041015051 (DOI http://doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2015.3.041015051) Linkages in Vegetable Marketing System of Tan Yen, Bac Giang, Viet Nam Nguyen Thi Tuyet1, Ngo Thi Thuan2*, Nguyen Hung Anh3 1Office of Education Administration, Vietnam National University of Agriculture 2Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Vietnam National University of Agriculture 3Faculty of Accounting and Business Management, Vietnam National University of Agriculture Abstract In the past few years, production and marketing activities between Tan Yen vegetable farmers and processing companies have gradually gained local authorities attention. The Bacgiang People’s Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Farmers Union, and the Bacgiang Vegetable Processing Company Association conducted hearings in which commune leaders, local government officials, and academics offered their perspectives on how the recent development of the vegetable processing sector have affected the economic efficiency of each factors chained in the system. Vegetable producers are concerned that recent growing incidence of contract non-compliance taking part in the processing companies has caused lower benefit they earn from the sector. Processing companies argue that the unstable customer market and world price fluctuation reflect their costs of doing business. Contract farming in the marketing system, as the new practice, is supposed to have a long-term relationship with continued commitment. However, institutional structure, information on functions and especially linkages between actors, the governance mechanism, and the integral part of local government intervention are necessary to mention but, limited in research. For this reason, this study attempted to describe Tan Yen vegetable marketing system in a systematic, structural, social, and behavioral way. With combined methodologies, the analysis was focused on evaluating the system’s linkages among participated actors to place under the context of sustainable livelihood for the small vegetable producers. The conclusion is that the system has relatively weak linkages between actors involved and inefficiency for small producers. Keywords: marketing system, vertical and horizontal linkages. Return to Content View [Full Article – PDF] [Full Article – HTML] [Full Article – EPUB] Post-review Rundown View/get involved, click [Post-Review Page] References Dey I (1993). Qualitative Data Analysis: A user-friendly guide for social scientists. London; New York: Routledge. Henson S, Reardon T, (2005). Private agri-food standards: implications for food policy and the agri-food system. Food Policy 30 (3), 241–253. Hobbs JE and Young LM (2000). Vertical Linkages in Agri-Food Supply Chains in Canada and the United States, 2001. http://www.agr.ca/policy/epad. Pingali P (2007). Agricultural growth and economic development: a view through the globalization lens. Agricultural Economics 37 (s1), 1–12 Pingali P (2007). Westernization of Asian diets and the transformation of food systems: implications for research and policy. Food Policy 32 (3), 281–298 Robson, C (2002). Real World Research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner researchers (2 ed.). Oxford; Malden: Blackwell. Sartorious K, Kirsten J, (2007). A frame work to facilitate institutional arrangements for smallholder supply in developing countries: an agribusiness perspective. Food Policy 32 (5–6), 640–655. Susan H and Wendy U (2002). Supply Chain Coordination: A Case Study of Vegetable Growers in Colorado – Presented at the WCC-72 Las Vegas June 25 Susan H and Wendy U (2002). Supply Chain Coordination: A Case Study of Vegetable Growers in Colorado – Presented at the WCC-72 Las Vegas June 25 Swinnen JFM (2007). Global supply chains standards and the poor: how the globalization of food systems and standards affects rural development and poverty. CABI Publishing, Wallingford Unnevehr LJ, (2000). Food safety issues and fresh food product exports from LDCs. Agricultural Economics 23 (3), 231–240.
