Industry leaders gathered at Fruit Attraction in Madrid to discuss collaborative solutions for improving transparency, fairness and efficiency in global fresh produce shipping, with the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce announcing plans for a voluntary charter to address supply chain challenges
On 1 October, the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce organised a panel discussion at the Fruit Forum of Fruit Attraction in Madrid.
The discussion aimed to identify – together with actors along the entire fresh produce chain – collaborative solutions to promote transparency, fairness and efficiency in global fresh produce shipping.
The session was moderated by Ron Lemaire of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association and chair of the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce, and Steve Alaerts of Foodcareplus and chair of the Supply Chain Council of the International Fresh Produce Association.
Participants on the panel included Jeff Fowler, national director of produce sourcing at Sobeys; Deon Joubert, special envoy for market access and EU matters at the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa and leader of the Working Group on Logistics of the Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance; Javier López, head of the commercial division of the Port Authority of Algeciras; and Gaurav Sethi, director of Intercont+.
Participants stressed the importance of communication and collaboration among all actors along the fresh produce supply chain, to reduce inefficiencies throughout the chain and thereby drive significant cost reductions for all those involved.
Community-building is key, they said, with the discussants agreeing on the ”crucial need” to build strong relationships between all players – from producers, exporters, and shippers over hauliers and shipping lines to port authorities, forwarders, importers and retailers – to work together to develop solutions to common challenges.
Equally important is transparency; data sharing through digital platforms, the use of clear and common terminology, and the use of ’report cards’ indicating actors’ performance were highlighted as elements that may improve the functioning of the supply chain.
Wrapping up the panel discussion, Ron Lemaire reiterated the Global Coalition’s continued commitment towards increased accountability, fairness, and efficiency in global supply chains for fresh produce.
To this end – and building on the work being undertaken by the Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance (SFA) to develop a voluntary charter of good shipping practices for the maritime transportation of fresh produce and by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) to formulate a charter for fresh produce logistics in Canada, as well as the Supply Chain of the Future initiative of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) – the Coalition said it will drive the formulation of a voluntary global charter for fresh produce logistics.
Such a charter – a shared statement of commitment to the values of collaboration, transparency and fairness – will serve as a starting base for the development of practical tools and frameworks that will help reduce inefficiencies throughout the supply chain, driving prosperity and, ultimately, benefitting consumers’ health and well-being the world over, it added.
