THERE is an 'unprecedented opportunity' for the tuna industry to expand the worldwide consumption of tuna products, says Chanintr Chalisarapong, chairman of the Tuna Packer Group and the Thai Food Processors' Association.

But are all the players in the tuna industry willing to take the key step needed to increase sales? he asks.

THE key mission for today's world tuna industry is to promote worldwide consumption of tuna products by making quality the common ultimate goal of all segments of the industry, says Chanintr Chalisarpong in his address to the Infofish - Tuna 2002 conference recently held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Frank communication and sincere co-operation between vessel owners (upstream industry), packers (midstream industry) and marketers (down stream industry) is vital to achieve this mutually beneficial mission.

These three groups need to form a collective strategy to augment the world demand for tuna products for the long run. Industry players from the US, Europe, Central America and Southeast Asia can play respective roles in catching, processing and marketing to make this happen.

The current negative image of farm and aquacultural products - caused by controversial issues such as GMO, mad cow disease, bird-flu virus, residues of banned drugs and dioxins in chicken and shrimp products - has presented an unprecedented opportunity for the tuna industry to expand the worldwide consumption of tuna products.

This can happen through promoting the natural origin of tuna resources and improving existing product quality.

In order to achieve this mission, the following measures are necessary: Good quality fish only!

FIRST, vessel owners and traders should ensure only good quality fish is delivered to tuna packers. Mixing poor quality catches with good ones will lead only to higher rejection rates by packers, and can also lead to substandard products in the market, costing consumer confidence - a no-win situation for any party.

Regular maintenance of purse seine vessels, appropriate catching practices and proper fish handling (on board and during all phases of transport) should ensure quality catches being delivered to tuna packers.

Packers will be able to turn out their products with higher yields and quality products will allow packers to sell more to the market. In return, packers would be able to pay premium prices for these quality tuna - a win-win situation for both parties.

The mission of the World Tuna Purse Seine Organisation (WTPO) should be to ensure good catching practices and uphold a principle that only good quality catches be delivered to packers by its members - instead of primarily focusing on limiting the supply of tuna, or fixing tuna selling prices for different regions.

Quality product is the only key to boost consumers' consumption of tuna products. A bigger market would mean more sales and profits for everyone in the industry.

Total quality in all steps SECOND, packers should take initiatives to make sure that the total quality concept is addressed in all steps of their production processes in order to provide quality products desired by the market.

Packers should regularly remind vessel owners of the importance of good quality tuna to production and perseveringly suggest improvements on providing their customers with the proper knowledge of tuna products.

For instance, consumers should know that canned tuna without HP (hydrolysed soy protein), or with high drained weight, will enhance the taste and texture of the products - main favourable attributes for consumers.

Excessive use of HP would only backfire and damage the desirable qualities of the products.

Packers and sellers must work together THIRD, packers and marketers/distributors should work closely together to create higher quality and value-added tuna products, as well as innovations such as tuna-in-a-pouch. These premium products will enhance market demand for tuna products.

The industry should join hands to support the Temporary Marketing Petition (TMP) proposed by StarKist, Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea to allow use of the drained weight methodology to determine the amount of fish filling in each tuna can.

Industry leaders should be excited to learn that the US brand owners and distributors are working with the US food authorities in an attempt to establish higher product standards through the TMP program.

TMP is a consumer-friendly campaign and it should lead to a higher quality product, consequently enhancing consumer satisfaction.

Also, US distributors' efforts in promoting their tuna-in-a-pouch and other valued-added tuna products through TV should be appreciated by the industry.

Once US consumers acknowledge these desirable qualities, it would be easier for US tuna brand owners to promote consumption of their products.

European distributors' successful promotion of high quality canned tuna has led to significant increases in tuna consumption in their markets.

Growing US and European tuna markets could serve as a key to stimulate the global tuna consumption in most established markets.

But, we should not overlook opportunities elsewhere.

For instance, the potential of the Asian markets for canned tuna is positive and growing, especially in ASEAN countries such as Thailand and the Philippines.

The Middle East market is growing steadily each year as well as the markets in East Asia such as Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are improving. China and India also present some exciting opportunities for tuna products.

Global trends suggest that consumers prefer natural products to farm products. It is supported by almost unanimous negative consumer reactions to GMO, which caused many tuna buyers from Europe, Canada, Australia and the Middle East to stop buying any food product containing GM ingredients.

Taking advantage of its high nutritional value, a higher degree of food safety and its natural origin, we all see an opportunity here by re-positioning canned tuna as a consumer-friendly, eco- friendly and dolphin-safe product.

Distributors around the world should promote tuna products using mass media in creative ways, similar to what the beef, chicken and milk industries did for their own products.

Money should be spent on marking out the unique value of tuna to consumers, rather than using price-cutting as the primary gimmick to attract sales.

Sustainable industry growth is possible as long as marketers, packers and vessel owners are committed to delivering quality canned tuna to the consumers.

To reiterate, a win-win situation is possible for all members of the industry only if all segments pursue the common goal of increasing tuna consumption and fulfil their respective roles.

Vessel owners should do their best to supply good quality fish to packers.

Packers should always be committed to making and shipping quality products to importers and distributors, while importers and distributors should creatively market and seriously educate consumers about the benefits of tuna products.

With all these efforts and commitments, consumers in return will reward the industry with sustainable growth and profits.

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Build tuna sales with quality! - says Thai Tuna Packer group