Modelling vegetable marketing systems in South East Asia: phenomenological insights from Vietnam

This article presents a conceptual framework for the analysis of vegetable supply chains in a South East Asian context and the role wholesale markets play in these chains. Following a review of the literature on food marketing systems in developing countries and preliminary fieldwork in South East Asia, a holistic framework is proposed, including what are perceived to be the critical factors in the development of improved fresh food marketing systems: domestic legal and policy factors, international trade policies and food markets, history, geography, and cultural and social norms. The particular role of trust and collaboration among stakeholders in the Ho Chi Minh City vegetable marketing system is highlighted.