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Macedonian Non Timber Forest Products Companies
Learn
FairWild Global Standards
 In
April, OSEC, the Swiss Import Promotion
Programme and the USAID’s AgBiz Program in a
continued joint effort organized a two day
FairWild Workshop in Mavrovo about “Standards
for Fair Wild Collection and Production of
Medicinal, Aromatic and other Wild Crafted
Plants”.
Companies from all over the country, from
Kichevo on the West to Berovo on the East
represented the twenty two participants from
sixteen Macedonian Non Timber Forest Products
companies, one public enterprise and one
Certification body that attended the workshop to
obtain information on the basics and details of
FairWild standards and certification processes.
The workshop was conducted by trainers from OSEC,
the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of
Switzerland organization and Swiss based
Institute for Marketecolology, a certifying body
accredited to do Organic, Fair Trade and Fair
Wild certifications.
The workshop resulted in considerable open and
especially interactive discussion in various
topics such as: how to enhance the capacity of
the enterprises in Non Timber Forest Products
the value chain and how to obtain international
certifications in quality and safety as well to
increase the marketability of company’s
products.
First hand feedback was provided by AgBiz
customers about the types of capacity
enhancement activities they need in order to
grow their business. Establishing an association
to advocate company’s interest; consulting;
in-company trainings; participation in trade
fairs; business to business meetings, were part
of the identified critical needs.
“Companies should establish an association, so
there will be a body we can contact when we need
information.” said Mr. Tomislav Petrov, the
Manager of “Pelister” National Park.
“We need this kind of knowledge and guidance
from well-known experts! We must understand what
market demand is! Implementing standards,
marketing, better representation of our products
and enhanced production process, are our
specifics and key needs in order to enter
markets either regional or/and global.” said,
Mr. Ilber Sadiku co-owner of Green Fungo from
Gostivar, a company specializing in value added
wild mushroom export.
Representatives of the two Macedonian leading
companies from the Non Timber Forest Products
value chain, “Alkaloid” and “Koro”, acknowledged
the importance of the “FairWild” Certification
processes and implementation of Fair Wild
standards as an immediate result of the
workshop.
USAID’s AgBiz Program will closely monitor the
activities coming out of the workshops and work
with participants in the Non Timber Forest
Products Value Chain to help them achieve those
objectives.
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