Value-added Fruit Products

Fruit farming is a profitable business that has evolved over the years from small-scale backyard gardens to a global industry. Starting a fruit farm comes with challenges but can be a profitable business venture. Aspiring entrepreneurs can either choose to start small- or large-scale fruit farms depending on their financial status or add value to fruit items to reach markets with their own brands. Local value-added food production is critical to sustain small farmers and their communities. It is important to find ways to increase farm incomes, and interest in adding value to agriproducts has grown tremendously. In addition to offering higher returns, value-added products can open new markets, increase productivity, create recognition of farms, and expand the production season, for example, by making fruit jam. Locally produced specialty food items can also provide a window into the unique qualities of communities.

Course Objectives

The main objectives of this course are:

  • Encourage new entrepreneurs to start productive, profitable fruit-processing businesses
  • Showcase the value-addition potential for expanding fruit-farming opportunities
  • Learn about business plans including equipment, technology, financing, and marketing for starting value-added fruit businesses

Course Modules

This e-learning course will cover the following modules:
 Module 1: Importance of value addition 
This module provides a background to fruit production, consumption, wastage, and loss and the importance of value addition. 
Module 2: Opportunities and types of value addition in fruit farming 
This module discusses the prospects for value addition in fruit farming, types of value addition, scope of value addition, and opportunities and examples of value addition in the fruit business. 
Module 3: New market creation, local branding, and supply chains 
This module covers marketing, offerings, and branding; why new market creation is important; why local branding is essential and how it works what supply chains are; value-addition processes in supply chains;and marketing of value-added products. 
Module 4: Challenges, remedies, and future-proofing value-added fruit product businesses
This module provides information and ideas on challenges of fruit value-addition businesses, remedies to meet fruit value-addition challenges, factors influencing consumers’ purchasing behavior of value-added products, what future-proofing is, future-proofing elements and influences, and fruit processing and preservation for the future. 
Module 5: Successful cases/models of value addition in fruit farming 
This module gives examples of successful models of fruit value addition. It also discusses innovations in and practical references on fruit value addition.

Important Notes:

  1. Participants who register to take this course and pass the final examination with a score of 70% or higher will be eligible to receive the APO certificate. Please note that the final examination can be taken only once. Therefore, the most appropriate time to take the examination should be chosen carefully. The self-assessment quizzes  are for personal evaluation only and are not related to the final examination results.
  2. Participants who perform well in this course and receive the APO certificate will be given preference, on a merit basis, for selection to attend follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects on similar topics, when nominated by their NPOs and if slots are available.
  3. Notes 1 and 2 are applicable only to participants from APO member countries. Participants from nonmember countries are welcome to take the course for self-improvement, although they will not have an opportunity to attend the follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects.
  4. Each module is in a prerecorded video format in which the expert delivers presentations by explaining each slide. Participants can access the videos by clicking on the link provided under the title of each module.
Course Duration in Hours: 10 hours
Skill Level: Beginner
Upcoming Course: No
New Course: Yes