MARKET RESEARCH FOR FOOD PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES The International Development Research Centre is a public corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to support research designed to adapt science and technology to the needs of developing countries. The Centre's activity is concentrated in five sectors: agriculture, food and nutrition sciences; health sciences; information sciences; social sciences; and communi- cations. IDRC is financed solely by the Parliament of Canada; its policies, however, are set by an international Board of Governors. The Centres head- quarters are in Ottawa, Canada. Regional offices are located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. MARKET RESEARCH FOR FOOD PRODUcTS AND PROCESSES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PROCEEDINGS OF A WORKSHOP HELD IN SINGAPORE, 1-4 APRIL 1986 EDITORS: R.H. YOUNG AND C.W. MACCORMAC ` International Development Research Centre 1987 Postal Address: PO. Box 8500, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1G 3H9 Young, R.H. MacCormac, C.W. IDRC-249e Market research for food products and processes in developing countries : proceedings of a workshop held in Singapore, 1-4 April 1986. Ottawa, Ont., IDRC, 1987. xii + 144 p.: ill. /Market studies/, /research and development/, /food technology/, /post-harvest systems/, /Asia/ - /human nutrition/, /small-scale industry/, /fish processing/, /drying/, /social aspects/, /case studies/, /conference reports/, lists of participants/, /references/. UDC: 380.13:664 ISBN 0-88936-478-8 Technical Editor: K. Kealey-Vallière A microfiche edition is available. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the International Development Research Centre. Mention of proprietary names does not constitute endorsement of the product and is given only for information. ABSTRACT Knowledge and experience in the identification and analysis of existing and potential markets for new food products and processes in the developing world is minimal. The main concerns relate to the identification of the needs of low-income communities, particularly in rural areas, and the future direction and strategy of food technology research to satisfy those needs. From 1 to 4 April 1986, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) sponsored a workshop in Singapore that brought together food scientists, marketing specialists, and economists. The objectives of the meeting were to create a greater awareness of the opportunities for using market research in guiding food technology projects in developing countries and to highlight market research methodologies that were appropriate for use by Asian scientists. This publication provides case study examples demonstrating market research in food technology projects along with the conclusions and recommendations of the participants on ways to increase the use of this type of analysis in future research. RÉSUMÉ Le monde en développement ne connaît pas beaucoup, ni théoriquement ni pratiquement, les méthodes de détermination et d'analyse des marchés présents et futurs pour les nouveaux produits alimentaires et procédés de fabrication d'aliments. Dans un premier temps il faut définir les besoins des collectivités à faibles revenus, particulièrement les collectivités rurales et préciser l'orientation et la stratégie à donner à la recherche technologique alimentaire pour répondre à ces besoins. Du ler au 4 avril 1986 le Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI) a parrainé, à Singapour, un atelier qui a réuni des scientifiques de l'alimentation, des spécialistes du marketing et des économistes. Il s'agissait pour eux de mieux faire connaître les possibilités que présente la recherche sur les marchés comme guide des projets de technologie alimentaire dans les pays en développement et de donner un aperçu des méthodes de recherche sur les marchés que les scientifiques asiatiques pourraient employer avantageusement. Cette publication offre des études de cas d'application de la recherche sur les marchés à des projets de technologie alimentaire, ainsi que les conclusions et les recommandations des participants de l'atelier sur les façons d'augmenter l'utilisation de ce type d'analyse dans de futurs travaux de recherche. RESUMEN El conocimiento y la experiencia de los paises en desarrollo en relaciôn con la identificaciôn y et anàlisis de los mercados tanto existentes como potenciales para los nuevos productos alimentarios son minimos. Los intereses principales se centran en la identificaciôn de las necesidades de las comunidades de bajos ingresos, particularmente en las àreas rurales, y en la futurs direction y estrategia de la investigaciôn en tecnologia para satisfacer tales necesidades. Del 1 al 4 de abril de 1986, et Centro international de investigaciones para et desarrollo (CIID) auspiciô un seminario en Singapur donde se reunieron cientificos en alimentos, especialistas en mercadeo y economistas. La reuniôn tuvo como objetivos crear una mayor conciencia de las oportunidades de usar la investigaciôn sobre mercadeo para informerlos proyectos de tecnologia alimentaria en los paises en desarrollo, y subrayar las metodologias de investigaciôn de mercados apropiadas para use, de los cientificos asiàticos. Esta publicaciôn ofrece ejemplos de estudios de caso en los que se ilustra la investigaciôn de mercados en los proyectos de tecnologia alimentaria, junto con las conclusiones y recomendaciones de los participantes sobre las formas de aumentar et empleo de este tipo de anàlisis en las futures investigaciones. CONTENTS Foreword vii Acknowledgments viii Executive Summary ix Introduction ix Conclusions xi Part I: Practice of Market Research in Food Development Projects 1 Market Research and Food Technology in Developing Countries R.H. Young and C.W. MacCormac 3 Market Research in Development Projects Sandra J. West and Mary D. Earle 14 Market Research for Nutrition Interventions Max Rutman and Waldo Bustamante 22 Market Research for Grain Postharvest Systems Alessandro A. Manilay 31 Part II: Case Studies 39 An Overview of Case Studies in Market Research John Quilkey 41 Marketing Food and Technologies in Rural India Raghu Roy 47 Supplementary Foods in Rural Thailand Dow Mongkolsmai 57 Supplementary Foods in Rural India P. Pushpamma 69 Market Needs for Vegetable Drying in Sri Lanka Ranjana Curtis and K.G. Gunetileke 78 Market Needs for Grain Drying in the Philippines Angelita G. Cardino 93 Product Information to Improve Small-Scale Food Manufacture in Thailand Wiboonkiet Moleeratanond 101 Investigating the Marketing System for Groundnuts in the Philippines Relli C. Pableo and Manuel C. Ignacio 111 Investigating the Market Structure for Fish in Malaysia Fatimah Mohd Arshad and E.T. Gibbons 121 Participants 143 v FOREWORD This publication, the result of a workshop held in Singapore from 1 to 4 April 1986, reflects the strong interest of the Post-Production Systems (PPS) and Agricultural Economics (AE) programs of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in promoting a market approach to food technology research in the development process. It has been produced as a further step in addressing the food market research issue in the developing countries and has been aimed primarily at research managers, scientists, policymakers, and stu- dents. With the Centre's larger mandate of supporting the implementation of research results for socioeconomic benefit, this publication describes the strategy of linking the researchers and intended beneficiaries of new technology during the various stages of a research project to increase the utilization of research results and the successful adoption of technology. The objectives of the meeting were twofold. The first was to create a greater awareness of the opportunities for using market research in guiding food tech- nology projects in developing countries. The second was to highlight market research methodologies that were appropriate for Asian food technologists and economists in defining postharvest research needs and the design and evaluation of technology. All the participants felt that these objectives were indeed met. The editors of this publication must be commended for their appropriate and timely initiative in coordinating this workshop considering the concern about research focus and the implementation of research results. It is hoped, therefore, that this report will serve as a useful guide to market analysis for technical and social scientists involved in food technology and nutrition research in the develop- ing regions of the world and that it will help researchers fulfill the requirements of the ultimate beneficiaries - the poor and those most in need in the developing countries. H.G. ZANDSTRA Director, Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Sciences Division, IDRC vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special appreciation is extended to the members of the editorial board who drafted the conclusions and recommendations and who gave invaluable assistance and advice in the formation of the publication: Mary D. Earle and Sandra J. West, Massey University, New Zealand; Max Rutman, Ingenieria en Nutriciôn y Alimentacibn (INUAL), Chile; and John Quilkey, La Trobe University, Australia. Mary Earle and Sandy West also made a significant contribution in their preparation of the background material reproduced as Market Research Methods (IDRC-MR151e). A special thanks is given to the IDRC Asian Regional Office (ASRO) Director, Dr Jing j ai Hanchanlash and his staff, especially Ms Jeannie Char, for their support