High Quality Products at Higher Prices: the Experience of TWADA which was presented by Dr. Wen Chi Hwang, General Secretary of the said organization during the 3rd LSFM RTW, explained about the experience of marketing based on product strength, quality, and competitive advantage. She narrated the history of TWADA as already having started with not just individual farmers but with small, organized groups of wax apple growers.
The technology for product development and improvement was already there, developed with huge government support. TWADA was organized specifically for the purpose of expanding the market. Dr. Hwang narrated TWADA’s marketing initiatives which included joint marketing with the top three biggest consumer market in Taiwan, door-to-door marketing, direct marketing through the internet, and export trading. She narrated the benefits received from these strategies, which included, among others, higher and more stable farm gate price for farmers, and generally a higher income for all of them.
Dr. Hwang further discussed the challenges and issues confronted by TWADA in marketing their product, and how these are being addressed. The challenges include seasonality of export, economy of scale, professional grading of product, and packaging. TWADA’s biggest buyers are its local markets, while its biggest buyer abroad is China. TWADA is also trying enter the Singaporean and Hongkong market, and recently, it has been able to break into the Canadian market.