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Good Relations with Growers Assures Vivi Prom’s Sustainable Exports
 Desirable fruit and vegetables, such as cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers andpeppers grow in abundance in Macedonia. Current markets for these
products are mainly ex-Yugoslav countries, but this is slowly changing. In thepast few years, markets in other countries, particularly multi-unit retail chaincountries are changing their habits. This was a big challenge for Macedonian fresh vegetable exporters since they have been exporting mostly in bulk, but during the last couple of years have started to export in retail packs.
Out of total food exports from Macedonia of around $254 million, 20.6% is from exports of the top five fresh vegetables - peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers and melons. In the last ten years, the total value of exports for these five products increased from $16.2 to $52.2 million with the largest growth being derived from tomatoes and cabbage. This growth is a result of increased demand for Macedonian fresh vegetables in international markets.One of the major exporters of Macedonian fresh fruits and vegetables is Vivi
Prom, a company located in southern Macedonia, and one of the 179
customers of AgBiz.
Vivi Prom produces and markets agricultural products, mainly tomatoes,climate and production under foil facilitates continuous production and sales.The company began production in 1991 when it worked with a small number of producers, and today works closely with 640 producers. The company exports more than 7,000 tones of agricultural products per year with 95% destined for foreign markets. Seven full time employees work at Vivi Prom plus up to 55 seasonal workers in the high season.
Vivi Prom’s success is at least partially based on its very positive relations with its growers. Nineteen years ago Vivi Prom helped its primary producers organize themselves into an association called “Vivi Kooper” to more effectively support each other and successfully implement GlobalGAP, thus assuring Vivi Prom an ongoing supply of quality produce for export.
Acknowledging these results and the export potential of Vivi Prom, USAID through its AgBiz Program decided to support the company’s proposal to engaging local consulting company develop to complete a feasibility study and prepare the technical documentation for building a cooling chamber and installing the required equipment. The feasibility findings justified Vivi Prom’s plans for investment and provided them with additional details and guidance on how to proceed with the investment in the optimal way.
The study also helped Vivi Prom plan its own production and export of calibrated and, in the future, chopped and frozen onions that ultimately will increase number of employees and expand their product line.
“The study will help us to develop an IPARD application or apply to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy and its Rural Development Program for support. This survey confirmed our potential for expansion and supported our belief that we can do even better”; said Mr. Dragan Kostadinov, the Manager of Vivi Prom.
Vivi Prom is one of the 17 out of 179 Macedonian agribusinesses that received Expedited Local Short-term Assistance (ELSA) from USAID’s AgBiz Program. The Program also assisted Vivi Prom to participate in other export competitiveness enhancement activities, such a the Poland B2B Study Tour; a Study Tour for Table Grapes Exporters to California; the Tirana International Trade Fair Study Tour; Fruit Logistika 2009; a workshop on the findings from the Personal Income Tax Regulations and Practices Assessment; IPARD Training for Managers of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables companies; and a workshop on the findings and recommendations from the California Study Tour for Table Grapes Exporters. |
