World's food marketing agencies open workshop

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Food Marketing Agencies (AFMA) in cooperation with the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Indonesia's State Logistics Agency (Bulog) began a three-day workshop in Jakarta yesterday.

Participants at the workshop, which will continue through Friday, are discussing the problems and constraints in implementing marketing strategies to improve public welfare through the generation of income and employment opportunities.

AFMA's executive director M.R. Satyal said that the workshop was a forum for sharing experiences between the members about their strategies in food policies.

"The workshop will also study the role of state-owned food marketing bodies, cooperatives and private agencies in promoting the income of farmers," Satyal said.

Bulog chairman Beddu Amang, who officially opened the workshop, said that the food marketing agencies in the Asia Pacific region should use AFMA and the workshop to share views and experiences in anticipating various changes in the current globalization era, such as the liberalization of economies.

"Acknowledging the latest development in most food marketing agencies, I would like to suggest that AFMA expand its membership, not only to government food marketing agencies, but also to semi-private companies," Beddu said.

The Bangkok-based AFMA, which was established in 1983 under the support of the FAO, is an international association of marketing agencies.

It currently has 23 members from 11 countries including China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Ceylon, Vietnam and host Indonesia. It has two members from Indonesia, namely Bulog and the directorate general of edible plants and horticulture.

Coinciding with the workshop, AFMA also held its 17th executive committee meeting.

The meeting aimed to evaluate the association's results and to set up its working program for the next period.

Some 50 participants, representing 13 marketing agencies from seven countries, attended the workshop. (08)