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Wild
Gathered Products Firms Build Their Own Legacy
 The
Wild Gathered Products (WGP) Value Chain plays a
significant role in Macedonian agribusiness
since nearly all of its products are exported.
At the same time it provides income to a
significant number of households in low income
rural areas.
USAID’s AgBiz Program recognized the export
potential of the value chain, but also
identified a number of weaknesses, including a
lack of cooperation between participants, and
its low profile.
With the aim of enhancing the export
competitiveness of the entire value chain, AgBiz
took the initiative to gather all relevant
players in one location to discuss value chain
development. Therefore, on November 8th we
organized a one-day Round Table, where we
presented a WGP Value Chain Profile developed by
AgBiz, and discussed the potential benefits of
establishing an association to serve members
priority needs, especially enhanced export
competitiveness.
The twenty-six Round Table participants elected
an Association Founding Committee, and empowered
it to take all necessary steps to develop and
conduct an Association Founding Meeting. AgBiz
applauded this action, and agreed to support the
initiative by hiring a local consultant to help
the Committee develop the Association’s
organizational structure and registration, as
well as its Annual Operational Plan and Budget,
and to help conduct the Founding Meeting.
On 26th of March, five months after the
initiative was launched, the Founding Meeting
took place in Veles, and the Wild Gathered
Products Trade Association “Shumski Plod was
established. 10 companies representing over 50%
of Macedonian exports of WGPs formally joined
the Association at that time. The active
involvement of these 10 major players will send
a strong signal to all other WGP companies to
also join the Association.
Later, only few weeks into its existence, the
Association realized its very first success. The
Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning (MEPP)
ban on exports of Morchela mushrooms was lifted
following a meeting with Association
representatives and MEPP where members jointly
presented the reasons why the ban was not
logical, and a very inefficient way to achieve
MEPP objectives. As a result, WGP companies will
benefit this year from the collection and export
sale of this first class mushroom.
The Shumski Plod Association now has the
potential to become a leverage point for AgBiz
support, and an effective means for value chain
participants to communicate with the GoM. Both
will make a significant contribution toward
enhancing the competiveness of the WGP Value
Chain, and the wellbeing of all its many
participants.
“Now, we can be more competitive, speak with one
voice and better develop our businesses and
value chain.” Mile Gjozev, Association
President, at the Foundation Meeting
By helping to establish the Wild Gathered
Products Trade Association, AgBiz contributed to
the success and sustainability of the WGP value
chain by:
- Stimulating cooperation, com-munication and
linkages be-tween participants;
- Launching a forum where value chain
competitiveness and de-velopment constraints
will be identified and addressed;
- Creating an environment where optimal
approaches to the GoM can be developed; and
therefore
- Improving the value chain’s export
competitiveness.
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