North America Edition
Fresh sector producers are only just recovering from the pandemic, only to face another global challenge. Climate change is impacting food production more and more. The sector has shown flexibility during the pandemic.
Covid-19 made clear how adaptable food producers and exporters are. They adapted to accelerating trends such as e-commerce, healthy eating and the increasing preference for local and organic products. But it also revealed the vulnerability of the fresh industry. Right now, the industry is focusing on recovering after the pandemic. Yet, the real challenge may lie in the long term effects of another significant issue: climate change.
Global warming will be the next challenge for producers of fresh products. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report concludes that human influences have warmed the climate faster than ever before.
Climate change will cause more frequent weather extremes such as heatwaves, droughts and flooding. These changing conditions mean that agri-food systems need to change. And with a growing global population, improving the availability and productivity in the fresh sector is essential.
Source: cbi.eu
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
