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Berry Congress attracts key speakers

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:22:23 +0000

Leading berry speakers are set to discuss the challenges facing the industry at the Global Berry Congress on 12 May

With anxiety growing over the future of the berry market and its ability to operate in a market facing a fresh set of challenges, discussion at the Global Berry Congress in London on 12 May, will be the main point of interest for everyone concerned with the international berry industry.

Taking a close look at the latest facts and figures from the world’s major berry markets throughout Europe and the US, Global Berry Congress will give a platform to key voices within the trade.

Sponsored by a wealth of major industry players like Total Produce, British Summer Fruits, Well-Pict and Veiling Hoogstraten, the networking opportunities available will be of major interest to all berry industry professionals.

The event’s location at Hilton London Tower Bridge will be central to over 250 importers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers, shippers and logistic companies set to attend Global Berry Congress proceedings. Opening with a welcome address from Laurence Olins, chairman of Gold sponsor British Summer Fruits, delegates will then have the opportunity to listen to commentary from leading industry insiders Bruce Axtman of Perishables Group and Ed Garner of Kantar Worldpanel.

Cort Brazelton, from the world’s largest blueberry nursery and intellectual property management company, Fall Creek Farm Nursery Inc, will look at the problems relating to the overproduction, oversupply, grower challenges and other pressing issues facing the market. Delegates will then have the opportunity to listen to valuable advice from successful berry marketers Andy Jackson, buying manager at ASDA and Lianne Jones of Blueberries from the South, to help future decision making made within the market.

Global Berry Congress organiser, Eurofruit Magazine, offers delegates an exclusive 20 per cent saving on registrations made online by 14 April. Further savings are also available for groups of colleagues wishing to attend.

A Global Berry Congress Pass includes:

? - Full access to all congress sessions, including choice of three break-out sessions

? - Complete congress materials

? - Exclusive Berry Congress Expo

? - Networking breaks x 2

? - Networking lunch

? - Cocktail reception at London’s City Hall, sponsored by British Summer Fruits

Keep up to date with registration, speaker and programme news by joining the mailing list at info@berrycongress.com or visit www.berrycongress.com.

Italian strawberry production down

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:50:04 +0000

Decline in production area over the past year set to limit availability, although country's varietal mix has reportedly strengthened

Italy's strawberry sector has contracted over the past year, with production area for the fruit decreasing by 7 per cent year-on-year to 3,500ha.

According to a report published by Italian fresh produce marketing and research agency CSO, the downturn was "to be expected" following a difficult campaign in 2009, during which time prices were extremely low.

Apart from Sicily, where production area is set to remain more or less stable, output in all other major growing regions across Italy is set to fall in 2010, the organisation said.

In Emilia-Romagna, strawberry production area is set to fall 18 per cent compared with 2009, while in Veneto and Piedmont growers anticipate a 5 per cent and 4 per cent reduction respectively.

In the south of the country, including Campania, Calabria and Basilicate – where there has been significant investment in strawberry production over the past few years – total surface area is set to drop by 10 per cent.

However, a spokesperson for CSO insisted the decrease was in line with other major European strawberry producers, including Spain.

"This trend towards a resizing of strawberry production, 80 per cent of which is protected and 20 per cent of which is open-field, is nevertheless in line with the trends observed in Spain," the spokesperson said.

"Between the 2008/09 and the 2009/10 campaigns, more than 1,100ha of strawberries have been lost in Huelva alone, which is the area with the largest crop."

Despite the decrease in availability, Italian producers will be looking to compete on quality and offer a broad range of varieties.

CSO's analysis points to ongoing diversification in Italy's varietal mix for strawberries, with the agency pointing to their strong organoleptic characteristics which, it said, should be favoured by the market and by consumers.

"The Italian varietal panorama is in fact dominated by Eva, followed by Roxana and Veneto," the group revealed.

"In Emilia-Romagna Alba still remains the most common, but Roxana is growing," the spokesperson continued. "In Campania, although there is an overall predominance of Camarosa, Candonga is also becoming stronger thanks to its excellent quality characteristics and is now the most commonly grown variety in Basilicata."

Spanish government to aid Andalusia

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:27:21 +0000

President Rodríguez Zapatero sets up working group as losses reported in softfruit and citrus sectors following recent storms

The Spanish government and the regional government of Andalusia have created a joint working group to look for “immediate” solutions to the problems caused by the recent storms that hit the region, destroying crops and facilities.

Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and José Antonio Griñán, president of the region of Andalusia, will stage the first official meeting of the working group today (9 March) in Madrid to address the “exceptional” situation that has affected Andalusia over recent months.

Mr Rodríguez Zapatero said the aim of the initiative was to “take joint action of a permanent form” and through the working group, to analyse the damage to Andalusia’s agriculture and infrastructure, and determine a means of helping those affected.

The Spanish government , he said, was “conscious of the seriousness” of the situation and would begin work “immediately and with the highest level of commitment” to alleviate the damages caused by the storms.

According to the Andalusian province of Huelva’s strawberry producer association Freshuelva, damages caused by the storms, which hit the region during December 2009 and January this year, has been estimated at €150m - substantially higher than the estimate of €75m given by the regional government of Andalusia.

Freshuelva told regional daily Diario de Sevilla that losses had totalled around 100m tonnes of strawberries and 50m tonnes of raspberries, with growers in the zones of Moguer, Palos de la Frontera and Lucena del Puerto particularly badly affected.

National agricultural association Coag said that some 3,000ha of citrus production - with an estimated value of between €12m-€17m - had also been devastated by the storms.

Zespri Europe to move premises

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:06:30 +0000

Company targets further growth in the European market with the relocation of its regional headquarters to southern Antwerp

International kiwifruit marketer Zespri has revealed it plans to relocate its European headquarters to new premises.

Zespri Europe, which has been based at the Antwerp Tower in central Antwerp, Belgium, for the past 20 years, will move to a new office in Berchem, a suburb in the south of the city.

"Our move is a mark of the extensive growth that our Zespri kiwifruit business has experienced in the past few years and we forecast more growth in the coming years," the company said in a statement.

Berchem is closer to Antwerp International Airport, but further away from the city's port area.

"The location of the office building also makes us more accessible to our partners and clients," the statement added.

Zespri's port operations in nearby Zeebrugge, where a large proportion of the company's imported New Zealand kiwifruit arrives each year, will remain at the same locations.

According to the company, the new offices are expected to provide Zespri's European operators with an improved working environment.

The office is located at Posthofbrug 10, one of four office buildings that form part of the City Link business park purchased late last year by real estate developer Cofinimmo.

"Zespri's new office space will provide an ideal work and collaborative workflow environment for our employees and will enable us to improve our customer service," the group said.

Click here to see how far Berchem is from central Antwerp

India ups coldstorage investment

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:06:07 +0000

Government official tells Mumbai conference about plans to build as many as 20 new coldstorage facilities in 2010/11

The Indian government has confirmed plans to invest in as many as 20 coldstorage facilities to aid the development of the country's fresh produce sector.

According to Reuters, around 10-20 coldstores could be built during the next 12 months, each at a cost of some Rs20-40m.

"We are looking at 10 or 20 more in 2010/11," Ashok Sinha, secretary of India's Ministry for Food Processing Industries, said during this week's Food India Forum 2010 in Mumbai. "All this will be set up with private players," he added.

The Indian government usually offers a 25 per cent subsidy for coldstorage investments, with an upper limit of Rs5m.

In its latest budget, the Indian government allowed external commercial borrowings for coldstorage and cold room facilities that will be used to preserve and store agricultural products.

Poor post-harvest management and a lack of cold-chain facilities are estimated to cost the country's agricultural trade up to Rs500bn each year, according to the National Commission of Farmers.

“This staggering loss has severely affected India's agri-business and agro economy," Mr Sinha told the conference. "It is essential, therefore, to build sustainable supply chains, which will link the farmer to the processing and marketing centres."

The prospects for foreign direct investment being allowed in India's agricultural infrastructure at some point in the near future appear to be growing.

"With the demand growing and with the growth of economy and with the supply side made easier, the private sector will have to work along side the government to take advantage of the growth potential in the sector," suggested Mr Sinha.

Seedless kinnow prospects for Pakistan

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:05:33 +0000

The country is expected to begin exporting the fruit next year, multiplying citrus shipments and attracting interest from Europe

Agricultural scientists working on the mass production of seedless kinnow fruit in Pakistan have indicated that large-scale production and export of the variety is likely to begin next year.

The news comes after more than a decade of research and development, crossing varieties such as kinnow and salustiana for early maturity, lower seed number and lower acid content, agricultural expert Hafeez-ur-Rehman told the Pakistan Times.

"Seedless varieties of mandarin (kinnow) have been developed at the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology and the Citrus Institute, Sargodha," Mr Rehman, a scientist at the National Agriculture Research Centre, told the publication.

And, according to Mr Rehman, the news that seedless varieties are nearly ready for production and shipping would make a number of European markets sit up and take notice.

"Once the seedless varieties start brining fruit, it will help generate precious and much-needed foreign exchange for the country, as it will attract the attention of western markets where people otherwise don't prefer kinnows due to their seeds," he noted.

Mr Rehman said he hoped the seedless kinnow variety would enhance the fruit's popularity overseas, with Pakistani immigrants currently the fruit's largest consumer base.

Italy launches school fruit scheme

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:34:08 +0000

Over 5,000 primary schools involved in major new healthy eating programme backed by the Ministry of Agriculture

More than 2,700 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables are to be distributed to over 5,000 primary schools across Italy after the country's Minister of Agriculture Luca Zaia officially launched a new, national school fruit scheme called 'Frutta nelle scuole'.

Calling on the whole country to encourage healthy eating among young Italians, Mr Zaia said the initiative had the potential to change attitudes to health and eating among children and, eventually, adults.

"In short, at breaktimes it's better to have one of our farmers' apples or pears than snacks full of colourings and calories that make you fat," he said.

Mr Zaia, who recently endorsed a new McDonald's burger called the McItaly, which is made only from products sourced within Italy, said teaching young children the importance of a healthy diet based on good, locally produced products and the country's rich agricultural tradition would help them recognise the value of a healthy lifestyle.

"Teaching about good food and healthy lifestyles is the best way to combat diseases like obesity and diabetes, not to mention the help it gives our farmers by promoting the consumption of fruit and vegetables," he added.

Supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (Mipaaf) and backed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, Univesrity and Research as well as Italy's various regional and provincial authorities, the scheme will see fresh produce distributed to schools in several regions of the country.

From today, schoolchildren in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Toscana, Lazio, Sardegna and Umbria will begin receiving free fruit, as will pupils in the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano.

On 15 March, meanwhile, the scheme will be extended to primary schools in all other regions of Italy.

Products to be distributed include apples, pears, oranges, kiwifruit, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes and celery – all produced under one of the country's PGI, PDO, organic or integrated production standards.

A dedicated Frutta nelle scuole website produced by Mipaaf has also been unveiled, offering information about the scheme.

Chiquita and Rewe expand Panama project

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:33:18 +0000

Corbana and GTZ have joined Chiquita and Rewe in backing a biodiversity project on the Costa Rica-Panama border

Chiquita has announced an expanded partnership for its San San Pond Sak biodiversity project in the border region of Panama and Costa Rica, in collaboration with Costa Rican banana organisation Corbana and German retailer Rewe.

The project, which has added Corbana and German government development corporation GTZ to its backers, was set up by Chiquita and Rewe in 2008 to protect the San San Pond Sak wetlands reserve, close to Chiquita’s banana farms in Panama and Costa Rica.

In a ceremony held last Friday (5 March) on the banks of the San San River, Chiquita, Rewe, GTZ and Corbana formalised their agreement to protect biodiversity and work with communities and local public agencies in the coastal regions of Bocas (Panama) and Sixaola (Costa Rica), on both sides of the Panama-Costa Rica border.

The partners in the expanded initiative have committed to a three-year public-private partnership, which it said was committed to biodiversity, environmental education, community development and new income sources for inhabitants.

In a statement, Chiquita said GTZ would provide an important source of funding and expertise, while Corbana had farms and forest properties close to the Panamanian border in the Sixaola region.

“Chiquita is committed to supporting important environmental sustainability projects wherever we operate,” said Fernando Aguirre, Chiquita’s chairman and chief executive officer.

“The addition of GTZ and Corbana to our San San Pond Sak biodiversity project will further strengthen our sustainability efforts.”

Photos | Chile earthquake

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:53:39 +0000

A collection of photos taken by industry professionals over the past week in the regions affected by the recent Chilean earthquake

Click here to view the slideshow full-screen

UGPBAN reveals Guadeloupe losses

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:14:54 +0000

UGPBAN expects a loss of some 20,000 tonnes of bananas due to fallen ash produced by the eruption on Montserrat

UGPBAN, the union of banana grower associations of Martinique and Guadeloupe, has revealed that it anticipates a loss of approximately 20,000 tonnes of bananas in Guadeloupe as a result of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies.

The volcano erupted on 11 February, causing over 500kg of ash to fall on the banana plantations of Guadeloupe.

Significant blemishes on almost all the fruit have reportedly left it unmarketable.

A study will be conducted by French research centre the CIRAD and the INRA to assess the impact of the ash on plant development, according to UGPBAN.

The study, due to begin next week, will allow the group to estimate the time for the resumption of production.

According to managing director Philippe Ruelle, the first consignments could start slowly in week 20/21, but the group will wait for the results of the study by CIRAD and the INRA before finalising any plans.