Powerful presence of CEECs at Fruit Logistica

Fruit Logistica in Berlin is rapidly becoming an indispensable marketing tool for Central and Eastern European countries. Taking place next year from 7 to 9 February, the world's leading international trade fair for fruit and vegetable marketing has become a don't-miss event for fresh produce companies and decision-makers from CEE countries. A growing number of EU and non-EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe are taking advantage of the opportunities at the annual trade fair to present their products, make contact with potential business partners and generate new business.

At the same time, a growing number of companies from Western European countries and overseas are coming to Fruit Logistica to establish contacts with exhibitors from Central and Eastern Europe and explore trade and joint venture opportunities. The widely varied interests of enterprises from CEE countries and their presentations at the trade fair are illustrated by the following examples of seven national exhibits at Fruit Logistica 2007.

AMC supports Hungarian companies

The Hungarian fruit and vegetable industry's interest in Fruit Logistica continues to grow. For example, the new Dalza Hungária trading company, which was founded by the two major growers' organisations, Délkertész and Mórakert, presented its products to international trade specialists for the first time at Fruit Logistica this year. The two organisations supply around 70 tonnes of fresh produce, primarily sweet peppers suitable for stuffing, tomatoes, cabbage, Chinese cabbage and apples. According to József Rácz, Dalza co-owner and managing director of the Mórakert growers' association, this generated some €45 million in additional proceeds last year. Nearly 1,200 growers from the traditionally-strong Komitat Csongrád agricultural region and surrounding areas are represented by the new trading company. Dalza offers more than 12,300 square metres of storage space along with 10,500 square metres of refrigerated and temperature-controlled storage. "Our goal is to coordinate the two companies' range of export goods and sell around €10 million worth of fresh produce on export markets", says Rácz.

Sponsored by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Agricultural Marketing Centre (AMC) supports eleven participating enterprises. According to Róbert Ivánfalvi from the AMC, nearly €240,000 was spent last year. This is equivalent to around 10% of the annual marketing budget. The volume of Hungarian fruit production in 2006 is estimated at 800,000 to 850,000 tonnes. This represents an increase of more than 10% over the previous year reports Viktor Medina, Project Manager at FruitVeB, the Hungarian Interprofessional Organisation for Fruit & Vegetables. Around 20% of the country's fruit harvest is exported. As a result of adverse weather conditions and tropical fruit imports, more fruit was imported into Hungary than exported over the past three years. The Hungarian foreign trade balance has been positive for fresh and frozen vegetables for many years, Medina added.

Ukrainian Fruit Company becomes a permanent exhibito

"This is our most important trade show – beyond compare with any other event," says Denys Podkovyrov from the Ukrainian Fruit Company, an enterprise that exhibited with its own booth for the second time at Fruit Logistica. The Ukrainian Fruit Company imports fruit and a limited quantity of vegetables from around the world to the Ukraine. Last year, the company generated USD 127 million in sales. In Berlin, Ukrainian Fruit representatives met with existing business associates and established a number of new contacts.

Georgia seeks new sales markets

Within the framework of AgVantage, a project financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development to support the Georgian economy, four companies from the former Soviet republic exhibited for the first time at Fruit Logistica 2007. "In the past, our agricultural products were sent to Russia", said Davit Jughashvili from AgVantage. "Following the Russian embargo on goods from Georgia, we're looking for new markets. The EU is our main focus and Berlin is where we think we can make the most contacts". Two herbs growers and one spice producer along with a processing and export company came to the trade show to look for potential importers and marketing companies.

Bulgaria returns to European markets

"We're back on the European markets", says Tanja Betscheva from Bulgaria's association of producer markets with confidence. Following several difficult years of transformation in Bulgarian agriculture, the production of tomatoes, cucumbers, berries, plums and cherries is rapidly growing again. "A number of permanent crops have been replanted and are now producing high yields", says Betscheva. An increasing number of buyers from England and Russia are showing renewed interest in the exceptional quality of aromatic beefsteak tomatoes and other products from Bulgaria. With 240 days of sunshine each year, the country offers ideal conditions for growing top quality produce. Along with high quality, size is a key factor. A number of companies in northern Bulgaria grow vegetables on plots of land covering up to 1,000 hectares.

Russian importers rely on Fruit Logistica

A growing number of fruit and vegetable importers from Russia are taking advantage of Fruit Logistica as a platform for contacts with existing and potential trading partners. Along with the Akhmed Fruit Company based in St. Petersburg and exhibiting at the trade fair for the second time with a spacious booth, the Globus Group, the largest fruit trading company in the Moscow area, was on hand in Berlin. According to a Globus spokesman, "We are constantly in search of new partners for long-term, productive business relations".

Poland – A major fruit growing country

Fruit Logistica attracted 40 exhibitors from Poland this year. Apples accounted for the lion's share of the country's annual fruit production with a volume of 2.1 to 2.5 million tonnes. Strawberries followed with 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes, sour cherries with 140,000 to 200,000 tonnes and red currants with 150,000 to 190,000 tonnes. Annual vegetable production in Poland primarily includes cabbage (1.2 to 1.3 million tonnes), carrots (700,000 to 900,000 tonnes) and onions (590,000 to 865,000 tonnes). In contrast to other European countries with highly developed fruit growing operations, 50-60% of the apples grown in Poland are processed into concentrate. Up to 70-80% of sour cherries, strawberries, raspberries, red currants and other soft fruits are sold as concentrate or frozen fruit. Exports play an important role in Poland. From 2002 to 2006, the country exported 450,000 to 460,000 tonnes of fresh fruit, 370,000 to 460,000 tonnes of fresh vegetables and 65 to 95 tonnes of fresh mushrooms each year.

Czech Republic: Strong presence at Fruit Logistica

Five fruit and vegetable producers, exporters and companies specialising in packing and sorting systems from the Czech Republic exhibited at Fruit Logistica this year. All of the country's fresh produce imports are handled by Cerozfrucht GmbH, a company with branch operations in Slovakia, Poland and Spain. Cerozfrucht GmbH has established excellent relations with the top fruit and vegetable growers and provides marketing services in the Czech Republic and other countries. Since joining the EU in May 2004, the average income for Czech farmers has increased by €108. Around 4% of the country's workforce is employed in the agricultural industry.

Contact:
Messe Berlin GmbH
Wolfgang Rogall
Press Officer
Messedamm 22
14055 Berlin
Tel.: +4930 3038-2218
Fax: +4930 3038-2287
www.fruitlogistica.com

Publication date: 9/10/2007