The Argentinian Blueberry Committee (ABC), which accounts for more than 80% of the country's blueberry exports, announced that it would have a new Board of Directors, which will have Federico Bayá as its president until 2019. "We will continue to be one of the largest blueberry producers in the world, positioning ourselves with increasingly higher quality and consistency in the market and highlighting our qualities against our competitors," stated Bayá.
Among the major achievements of the last administration, Bayá highlighted the recent incorporation to the Network of Companies against Child Labour, which is part of the National Commission for the Eradication of Child Labour (CONAETI). "It is a sensitive issue and although the sector has always been committed, working on the issue, each year the commitment is greater and this year it is one of the main areas in which we aim to continue improving."
Among the achievements of the past two years, the ABC highlighted the country's hosting of the Worldwide Blueberry Congress 2016, the trips made seeking to open markets in China, and the good positioning at international fairs such as Berlin and Rotterdam; but a key aspect, they stress, was the creation of "a negotiating table to agree on productive policies with the administration of Mauricio Macri."
The ABC thus strengthened the sector's matrix. "We have positioned ourselves as a source of reliable information in a context with different actors, such as the government at different levels, the media, embassies, as well as everyone involved in the production and marketing chain," reported Bayá.
"We represent 80% of the exporters and producers in the sector. Every year we have more partners committed to our daily work. This year we will implement the methodology of working by commissions, where we have 10 key issues to address such as, for example, logistics, statistics, internal market, external market or communication and promotion, among others," assured the new president.
For Bayá, "the international market has changed and Argentina is preparing for a new global scenario." Our focus will be on local work, with each producer seeking the highest efficiency in their fields, producing quality fruit and striving to make the sector competitive, with a strong communication and promotion strategy, both in the traditional markets where Argentina is already established (United States, United Kingdom, European Community, Canada) and in new markets, targeting mainly China and other Asian countries," he explained.
One of the objectives of the Commission is to continue the unified and federal work being carried out with the regional Association of Producers of Blueberries of Tucumán (APRATUC), the Association of Blueberry Producers of the Argentinian Mesopotamia (APAMA) and the Argentinian Chamber of Producers of Blueberries and other Berries (CAPAB) in order to "show that the sector is more united than ever."
The new Executive Committee will consist of Federico Bayá (Early Crop SA) as president, Alejandro Pannunzio (Berries del Sol SA) as Vice President, Marcelo Zanchetti (Berries del Plata SA) as Secretary, Pier Giua (Hortifrut Expofres SA) as Pro Secretary, Carlos Stabile (Extraberries SA) in the position of Treasurer, Nicolas Tretiak (Blueberries SA) as Pro Treasurer, and Guillermo Olivera (APRATUC AC), Federico Maggio (APAMA AC), Christian Benazzi (CAPAB AC), Pablo Ballazini (King Berry SA), Gabriel Wasserman (Gramm SA).
It is worth recalling that, in 2016, 17,000 tonnes of this fruit were exported by Argentina, which has 2,750 hectares devoted to the crop distributed between the North-west (1,300), North-east (1,050) and the province of Buenos Aires (about 400).
The ABC brings together the sector's regional chambers, which are the Association of Producers of Mesopotamia (APAMA), the Argentinian Chamber of Producers of Blueberries and Other Berries (CAPAB), and the Association of Producers of Blueberries of Tucumán (APRATUC).