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Grow your own traffic light peppers

traff light plant

Home–grown vegetable enthusiasts now have a colourful new option to cultivate – ‘traffic light’ peppers grown on one plant.

The UK’s Suttons Seeds offers such a product, which it promotes as an eye-turner in the garden. It says its duo grafted peppers are super sweet red and orange snack peppers double grafted onto the same rootstock.

“They ripen from green to orange and red, providing a traffic light of colour.” Suttons Seeds’ website also says the two pepper varieties were selected to grow at the same speed and be equally productive.

Ideal for beds and borders, patio pots and containers, greenhouses, the grafts are for planting in May and fruit from July-October. While grafting has been used for some time commercially, Suttons Seeds says it has now developed them for the home gardener.

Grow–it–yourself market holding its ground

Meanwhile, according to Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, the most popular products bought in Ireland last year to grow at home included herbs, salad vegetables and root vegetables.

In a recent article, Bord Bia’s Mike Neary said market research carried out by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of Bord Bia on the size of the gardening market in Ireland in 2014 showed the value of plants purchased for the GIY (Grow it Yourself) market was €14 million.

Though down 13% on 2011, purchase occasions are up by 3%, “which indicates that there remains a strong interest in the growing your own activity,” he said.

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Sources Suttons Seeds, Bord Bia
Also see (in German) Gabot.de

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Developing economies: key to the future?

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After record exports in 2014, experts are looking at where new markets can be found for banana leader Ecuador
 
Banana exports worldwide totalled 872.9 million boxes in the last campaign, representing 4.4% growth compared to 2012. Some 74.3% came from Latin America, where Ecuador is the undisputed leader with 259.3 million boxes, followed by Costa Rica with 106, Guatemala with 104.1, Colombia 95.5 and Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Nicaragua bringing up the rear.

The forecasts fulfilled for 2014 show greater growth in global production, which would be 6.3 %, equivalent to 927.8 million boxes, with the lion’s share going to Latin America, Asia, ACP and the European Union at similar percentages to 2013.

What is striking is the Latin American countries’ share in this growth. As in previous years, Ecuador leads the field in banana exports, but with a remarkable growth of 13.8%, representing 295 million boxes, a figure forecast to reach over 300 million for 2015.

Guatemala would be the second largest exporter in 2014 and 2015 with 114.5 and 123 million boxes respectively, with Costa Rica in third place at 107.5 and 105, a slight drop in the second year analysed.

The other producing countries hold the same positions as in previous years. So, pride of place in Latin America’s share in the banana trade goes to Ecuador with 42.9%, followed by Guatemala with an average of 17 % for both years, Costa Rica with 15 % and Colombia with 12.8%.

Read the rest of this article on page 78 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

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World pear imports at lowest level in five years

Pears - Edited

Pear production up slightly on back of record crop in China

The Russian ban will dampen global pear trade in 2014/15, a year in which production is set to rise a modest 5% to more than 24.4 million tons. Total world pear imports are forecast to reach just under 1.47 million tons, the lowest level for the last five years and down 7.3% on 2013/14.

However Argentina – which should return to its position of number one pear exporter – is set for a good season, according to USDA projections. Its exports are forecast to grow 13% on 2013/14 to 430,000 tons, as greater supplies and the Russian ban enable it to expand its market share to Russia, one of its top markets. Favourable weather suggests Argentina’s production will rebound 20% to 820,000 tons, the USDA said in a report published in December.

Russia will remain the top importer, but with a likely 30% plunge to 275,000 tons due to the ban, which primarily affects the EU, and to a lesser extent the US. “Imports from other countries, such as Argentina and South Africa, are expected to only partially offset these losses,” the USDA said. Russian pear production is expected to rise 6% to 153,000 tons thanks to good weather.

Read more on page 99 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

 

 

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Russian ban spells shrinkage in apple trade

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Global apple crop will also contract this year – to just under 71 million tons – despite bumper season in the EU, USDA projections show

Global trade in fresh apples is set to drop more than 5% in 2014/15, mainly due to Russia’s ban on fruit from certain countries, says the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Indeed, Russian imports will likely plunge 27% on the previous marketing year, to 800,000 tons, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Services forecasts in its “Fresh Deciduous Fruit (Apples, Grapes, & Pears): World Markets and Trade” report.

Imports from other countries are not expected to replace these volumes due in part to the devaluation of the rouble, a slumping economy, and rising inflation in Russia, it said. EU apple imports are headed downwards, too. The USDA predicts a drop of 12% on last season, to 550,000 tons, “as increased output and the effect of the Russian ban saturate the domestic market.” And apple imports into the US are also predicted to slide, in this case by 11% to 190,000 tons.

Growth in Mexico, Canada, India, Brazil and China

But on the positive side, growth on 2013/14’s imports is expected in Mexico, Canada and India, with respective volumes of 260,000, 225,000 and 200,000 tons. The USDA data also shows Brazil’s apple imports (for which Argentina and Chile are usually the main suppliers) had a growth spurt from 94,000 tons in 2012/13 to 117,000 the next year and are expected to surge to 150,000 this marketing year as production in Brazil stays at about 1.33 million tons. And in China, apple imports are set to rebound to earlier levels – about 40,000 tons – thanks to higher domestic prices making imports more attractive and the re-opening of the market to Washington state apples.

Read more on page 93 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

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What’s happening with crop protection in Europe?

ECPA is the professional body that represents the plant protection sector in Europe

Q&A with Jean Charles Bocquet, managing director of the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA)

1/ What is ECPA and what are its objectives?
ECPA is the professional body that represents the plant protection sector in Europe. Its members (21 companies and 32 national associations) are committed to the daily challenge of developing and promoting modern solutions that protect crops against pests and diseases in order to secure the production of healthy food that is financially viable. ECPA members support science-based regulatory measures that include evaluations and management decisions based on a risk-benefit analysis of all the proposed solutions in order to guarantee a high level of safety for humans and for the environment.

2/ What issues do the different projects ECPA is working on tackle?
Which are aimed at producers and which at consumers? ECPA and its members’ daily involvement with regulatory documents and product support is not sufficiently known by the public at large or by politicians. In order to change this, we launched our HUNGRY FOR CHANGE project (known in French as soif de changement) at the end of 2011. This is a clear expression of our will to change things, not only in relation to civil society but also internally, through more sharing of all the initiatives on the ground. For instance, we are coordinating 12 specific projects in the fields of food, water, biodiversity and health. All these projects aim to prove through concrete actions that modern plant protection solutions make it possible to reconcile competitiveness and sustainability. They are often implemented in partnership with the authorities, research institutes, distributors and farmers, and also with NGOs. Their aim is to promote the collective development of good product use practices through training and a network of demonstration farms. We want to work with all the stakeholders involved in sustainable production methods.

3/ Do ECPA projects pay particular attention to the fruit and vegetable sector?
The fruit and vegetable sector is important for ECPA in more than one way! Many crops are sold “as is” in fruit and vegetable sections or directly by the farmers in short chain circuits. With the farmers, we therefore need to ensure that the product use instructions have been followed properly in order to comply with the maximum residue level regulations. That is why we have set up specific programs to train farmers and technical staff in how to comply with good practice. We also know that many crops lack effective solutions for combating numerous parasite problems. We welcome the new European secretariat to coordinate minor uses, set up thanks to the collective efforts of the sector. The European commission, France, the Netherlands and Germany have collectively pledged €700,000 to ensure the start-up of this secretariat and the ECPA members have undertaken to contribute their technical expertise in order to address unforeseen minor uses as quickly as possible, thanks to our experience in the different member states.

4/ What is your view of the evolution of complementary means of protection?
Society’s expectations favour using non-chemical plant protection methods. This is also one of the aims of the ECOPHYTO plan in France. At the European level, integrated crop protection has been part of the member states’ commitments since January 2014. ECPA and its members did not wait for these political decisions before committing themselves to researching and readying real solution packages: variety research for the seed teams, biocontrol solutions, decision-making tools, and chemical solutions obtained by pure synthesis or by copying natural molecules such as pheromones. An increasingly important part of our work is to seek out biocontrol products. In some member states, nearly 50% of the biocontrol products or the solutions approved for organic farming are supplied by ECPA members. Nowadays, this complementarity of control methods, combining agronomy, biocontrol, monitoring and decision-making and chemical control, responds to the objective of competitive, sustainable fruit and vegetable growing.

MLC

From edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

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Global grape harvest to reach 20.5 million tons

GRAPES white table

Worldwide consumption of fresh table grapes has grown nearly 30% in last 5 years

Despite Chinese imports jumping up 20% and US imports rising a more sedate 9%, world table grape imports should remain at just over 2.4 million tons in 2014/15. The small increase on last year’s global imports – less than 1% – will come as table grape production creeps up 2% to 20.6 million tons, according to USDA forecasting. Smaller crops in Turkey and the EU will be more than offset by an 11% gain to 9 million tons in China, where the grape area continues to expand, the USDA said.

Slip expected in US grape exports

Greater availability from top supplier Chile is linked to the projected rise in imports to 565,000 tons in the US, where table grape production is likely to drop 6% to 950,000 tons due to drought in California and hail. Due to flat demand in its top markets Canada and Mexico, exports from the US are headed down 4% to 400,000 tons, the USDA calculates. The EU’s imports are tipped to slide 5% to 540,000 tons and its exports, due in part to the Russian ban, to erode 15% to 130,000 tons. Production in the EU is expected to drop 16% to 1.6 million tons “as area continues to decline due to reduced profitability,” the USDA said. Imports by Russia are expected to ebb only slightly – 1.5% – to 385,000 tons as grapes from other suppliers largely offset those from banned countries. Russia’s grape crop should increase a tenth, to 81,000 tons.

Ongoing growth in Chinese grape imports, world consumption

Enduring strong demand for counter seasonal grapes lies behind China’s likely increase from 231,000 tons of table grape imports in 2013/14 to 280,000 this marketing year. That would mean the country’s grape imports have swollen nearly 260% since 2009/10, when it bought 78,000 tons of foreign grapes. The import tariff for Peru, currently China’s second biggest supplier, dropped to zero on January 1, the USDA noted. While the vast majority of Chinese-grown grapes will be consumed domestically, China’s exports are nevertheless also in line to increase, by 15% to 120,000 tons. After 2013/14’s frost, production in Chile is poised to rebound 14% to 1.2 million tons. The consequent rise of nearly 15% in Chilean exports, to 825,000 tons, is the main factor in an expected 3% increase in global exports this year. Peru’s production is forecast to increase again, by 8% to 540,000 tons as the industry continues to expand its overseas presence. Exports are forecast to increase 9% to 290,000 tons as shipments to all markets continue to expand. Hail and frost in the spring then heavy rains during bloom mean Turkey’s production will be cut 13%, to 1.9 million tons. The lower output and resulting price hikes will in turn provoke a 17% fall in its exports, to 170,000 tons, the USDA estimates. Global consumption of fresh table grapes is set to grow for the 5th consecutive year, going from just over 15.6 million tons in 2009/10 to nearly 20.2 million tons this year, which amounts to a gain of nearly 30%.

Source: “Fresh Deciduous Fruit (Apples, Grapes, & Pears): World Markets and Trade” December 2014, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

From edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

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Consumer trends

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Tired of onion skin making a mess? 
First came the onions that are sweet and even tear–free (Evermild) and now there’s a new kid on the block. But this time the innovation is in the packaging. “Medallion sleeve pack onions” from America’s Owyhee Produce come in packs that limit mess from flaky onion skin, keeping things cleaner both in retail displays and at home.

Choose your cauliflower colour!
Ever seen green, purple or even orange cauliflower? It’s the latest food trend this year in Europe but it’s not really that new. The first “rainbow cauliflower” went on sale in 2008 and since then many improvements in taste, colour and texture have been made. For the record, the green colour is due to the presence of chlorophyll, the purple to the presence of pigments called anthocyans, and the orange comes from carotene.

Florette promotes its baby kale in the UK  
Just the thing to help you kick off your New Year’s resolutions with a January health fix. Florette has launched a campaign to promote its baby kale in the UK. Baby kale is a tender little leaf with a sweet and delicate taste that can be cooked or eaten raw in a salad. A note for ‘amateur nutritionists’: this new variety is also being is being called a superfood thanks to its antioxidants benefits. “It’s a €4.2 million opportunity for the single leaf sector,” according to Florette commercial director Sandy Sewell.

Goji berry, on top of the diets  
This fruit is “queen of the diets” in Brazil. Originally from southern Asia – China, Tibet and India – the goji berry lays claim to a long list of health benefits. Its concentration of vitamin C is as much as 50 times higher than the orange. Furthermore, the goji berry is also rich in vitamins B1, B2 and B6. As with other such food trends, it probably won’t be long before a wide assortment of juices and possibly even dairy products boast this healthy exotic fruit as an ingredient!

This article appeared on page 6 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine.

 

 

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Poland: expanding retailer seeks produce suppliers

RETAIL poland POLO - Edited

POLOmarket, one of the most popular retailers based entirely on Polish capital, was set up 15 years ago. It sells its products mainly in small and medium-sized towns. Very popular among Polish clients, this network is looking for new locations and expanding its fresh produce range and promotions.

“We’re still increasing the number of our shops in all parts of our country, so we need more and more new suppliers of fresh produce. Presently, we’ve got 439 outlets in Poland where over 14 million customers buy our food products every month. Last year, POLOmarket acquired 18 new store locations, meaning an increase of about 30% in our possessions compared to last year,” said POLOmarket marketing manager Katarzyna Ciszewska-Masianis.

10% sales rise in 2014

Last year was quite good for POLOmarket, with fresh produce sales increasing, despite the Russian embargo, by 10% on 2013. For instance, the volume of apples sold increased 10,000 tons, about 25% up on the previous year. The managers of this network predict 2015 will be about 5 to 8 % better in terms of total fruit and vegetable sales.

“Sales of citrus fruit in 2014 also increased in all categories (tangerines and oranges +1.8%). Banana sales have also improved (+2.5%) and other exotic fruits (+1.9%). The second half of last year also showed a rise in sales of citrus fruit.

“Since 2012, we have continued to improve our performance because we have decidedly less produce of lower quality at our points of sales than in the previous year. We thoroughly check each incoming delivery to our warehouses,” Ciszewska-Masianis said.

Last autumn, POLOmarket joined the general campaign promoting local products ‘I eat Polish products’. “This activity focussing on our fruit and vegetables, and all our fresh produce promotions like ‘Frutessa’ and ‘Vertus’, has attracted many new customers who until now bought fresh produce in other retailers’ networks,” she said. „

TK

This article appeared on page 32 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine. Read it for free here.

 

 

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Netherlands: Sustainability and transparency are paying off

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With a 34% market share in the Netherlands today, Albert Heijn continues to improve its market position

The leading Dutch supermarket chain continues to improve its market position mainly due to an increase in the number of stores and the development of e-commerce. The market share of Albert Heijn shops in the Netherlands has risen by nearly 10% over the last 10 years from 25.3% in 2004 to 34% in 2014.

A new stage of sustainability

“To be able to market these specific ready-made salads with specific types and varieties of lettuce, long-term planning with our suppliers is even more necessary,” said Leon Mol, sourcing manager for vegetables. These suppliers are located in North-Western Europe and Southern Europe, though unexpected weather conditions in Southern Europe have made it very challenging to meet our requirements in volume and quality. Sustainability has been at a high level for a long time and has now entered a new stage of development. After mainstreaming basic requirements across the whole fruit & vegetable category, there is renewed attention for specific crops in specific regions of production. These projects can really make a difference for such an area.

Organics, ahead in transparency and traceability

“The organic sector is ahead of the conventional sector when it comes to traceability and transparency,” Mol said. The professionalisation of the organics sector is ongoing and very much needed for further growth in the organics market. Although full transparency of the supply chain is a basic requirement, more attention is still needed. “The identity of a product is more and more a part of the market proposal,” Mol said. The sales of organics represent about 3% of Albert Heijn stores’ sales and this is due to rise significantly, since the number of items has grown.

PE

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This is a short version of an article which appeared on page 30 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine. Read it for free here.

 

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ASDA braces for hard year

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UK supermarket chain cuts prices and also aims to cut waste with promotion of ‘wonky’ fruit

At the start of what it says will be the “toughest year yet” in UK retailing, Asda announced its biggest ever investment in price cuts and a campaign to reduce waste of ‘wonky’ fruit. The Walmart–owned UK supermarket chain is spending more than £300m (€391.6m) to lower 2,500 prices for fruit, vegetables and other basket essentials.

Among the changes: 750g of Russet apples cut £0.25 to £1, cucumber halves down £0.05p to £0.30, £0.77 off banana 10-packs to £1.35, and bell peppers cut from £0.77 to £0.57 each.

Asda said the price ‘rollback’ is part of its five-year strategy to invest £1bn in lowering prices and £250m in quality to cement its role in “redefining value retailing.”

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‘Beautiful On The Inside’ promotion of ‘ugly’ fruit

Also in January, Asda launched a campaign in five of its stores to sell ‘wonky’ fruit and vegetables at a discounted price.It said this would help reduce food waste, support farmers and offer better value for money.

Crooked carrots, knobbly pears and wonky spuds will be labelled ‘Beautiful On The Inside’, bagged separately and sold at a reduced rate.

Asda produce technical director Ian Harrison said the campaign is the latest in a series of initiatives to show Asda’s commitment to helping reduce waste throughout its supply chain.

How Asda locked in low prices for seedless table grapes

Another example of supply chain improvements is Asda’s achievement last year of a 52-weeks a year seedless table grape supply.

Alberto Goldbacher from ASDA buyer International Procurement and Logistics Ltd (IPL), said this means much more than grapes on ASDA shelves year-round. Based in West Yorkshire, IPL’s grapes and stone fruit category manager said it had allowed the retailer to lock in low prices, too.

While other retail chains at times offer heavily discounted grapes, Asda is committed to stable, affordable prices through most of the year, “and that is what the consumer prefers.” Customers essentially want “simple prices” – low prices that are fixed, he said.

Consistent low prices spur sales growth

At the time of his presentation at ‘Grape Attraction’ last October in Madrid, Goldbacher said Asda had been selling 500g of seedless table grapes for £1.50 (€1.90) for 17 months. This followed 4-5 years when the price was around £2.

Other retailers would like to follow, but in terms of supply chain optimisation “we’re 16 months ahead of them.” They can offer grapes at that price for 1–2 weeks, but not consistently, he said.

 

This is an abbreviation of an article which appeared on page 34 of edition 135 of Eurofresh Distribution magazine. Read it for free here.