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The strategic focus of food retailers on stringent product requirements and the logistical management of fresh produce from farm to shelf have often been seen as raising barriers for smallholders, thus leading to the exclusion of resource-constrained farmers. Our study contributes to research on the inclusion of smallholders in modern agri-food value chains and on the integration of their perspectives in studies of dynamics in value chains through a combined qualitative and quantitative exploration of vegetable-producing smallholders in northern Thailand. We find that smallholders are not excluded from Thailand's modern agri-food value chains, regardless of their household assets, but are instead integrated through traditional structures. To some extent, they do have room for manoeuvre in selecting different marketing channels and some bargaining power. Traditional markets can be very important for linking smallholders to modern agri-food value chains, but limited knowledge exchange, structural challenges in gaining access to certification and product differentiation all reduce the possibilities for upgrading. We emphasise the importance of viewing smallholders as active navigators within value chains and of understanding their motivations in making use of different sales channels in order to understand the complexities of their realities while not overlooking the power structures within value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field latex is an important raw material in Thailand, produced by a large number of smallholders and handled by numerous local traders. This diversity of stakeholders involved along the production and marketing chain could result in the variability of the latex quality delivered to the factories. Latex processing industries need a raw material with consistently specified properties. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the factors that could affect latex properties. However, a complete description of the practices from the farmer to the factory is missing. Thus, a study was conducted to (1) characterise the upstream practices, (2) identify variable practices and (3) analyse farmers' and traders' perceptions of field latex quality that are believed to influence their practices. A survey was conducted with 398 field latex producers and 182 field latex traders distributed in eight provinces of Southern Thailand. The results showed that some agronomic practices in the mature plantations presented homogeneity (planting material, weed control, management of the inter-row of the plantations) while others (fertilisation, tapping panel treatment, harvesting practices) presented important diversity. Farmers' and traders' post-harvest practices presented limited sources of contamination. Nonetheless, for both stakeholders, an important possible source of variability was the quantity of latex preservative used. Finally, the analysis of the practices and the perception of the stakeholders clearly showed that field latex quality was determined both before and after harvesting. Research is still needed to analyse the impact of some agronomic practices on field latex quality. Latex traders also appeared as key stakeholders dealing with the quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of global retailers and the introduction of 'modern' channels of distribution and sourcing, combined with affluent domestic demand for higher-quality fresh produce, have caused significant transformations in food retail systems in the Global South. This paper examines Thai food systems undergoing transformation by drawing on qualitative interviews with key stakeholders along selected agri-food value chains in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Through an analysis of the spaces of interaction in 'traditional' and supermarket-driven food-retail value chains, the paper shows that similar food safety and quality requirements are transmitted upstream in both 'types' of chain. The paper argues that supermarket-driven agri-food value chains do not evolve or operate separately from 'traditional' ones. Distantly located urban wholesale traders and modern food-retail outlets are dependent on and interconnected with similar traders located in villages and towns in rural areas, who perform a pivotal role in product differentiation and in coordinating and monitoring compliance with requirements. The paper ends by discussing how spatial connections in agri-food value chains influence local development patterns in distant but interconnected localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined how the commodity chain of freshwater fresh fish trade between Thailand and Cambodia developed and became sex segregated, and how women small-scale traders are positioned in the chain. The open border policy increased trade and demand for fish, and made it more difficult for small-scale traders to secure fish. Lack of state control led to rent-seeking, which further closed opportunities for resourceless small-scale traders. Women small-scale border traders tried to counter the marginalization through establishing social networks, but with limited success. Field interviews with 86 traders at the border areas of Thailand and Cambodia were conducted to explore these points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]