The 7th International Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Industry Trade Fair of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), The Brazil Conference, will be held in Brazil on August 22 and 23. This year will be the first in which the event will last for two days, during which there will be discussions on industry trends, Brazil's fresh food will be showcased in the exhibition area, and there will be opportunities for networking between producers, suppliers and buyers, said Valeska Oliveira, IFPA country manager in Brazil (in the photo below).
"The event's focus is the domestic and export markets, but also the import market, because Brazil also consumes temperate climate fruits and vegetables, such as berries, cherries, pears or plums, of which we do not have a large production in the country," said Valeska.
Brazil is one of the major players in the export of fruit, and Europe is the main destination for Brazilian exports. In 2022, the country had 2.6 billion hectares that yielded 41 million tons of fruit, generating 970 million dollars in revenue from exports. And the prospect is that shipments will increase this year compared to 2022.
"One of the objectives is to grow as exporters, both in the number of destinations, as there are many options for the opening of new markets, and in the range of products. In fact, there's plenty of potential for the development of avocado exports. We are currently working on that," said Valeska. And the export figures for 2023 confirm this.
In the first half of the year, avocados were the sixth most exported Brazilian fruit (only behind lemons and limes, melons, mangoes, canned fruit and grapes), with a year-on-year growth of 153% in terms of value and 175% in terms of volume shipped. "These figures are important, although it is worth keeping in mind that the peak period for exports is the one that goes from August to December," said Valeska Oliveira.
"Papaya or ginger are also products in which Brazil is highly competitive in the export market, and hand in hand with Embrapa we continue to work in the search for new varieties with potential; in fact, an incredible job is being done with seedless grapes."
"Our goal is to boost the consumption of fruits, vegetables and flowers in Brazil".
More than 1,000 professionals and over 100 brands will participate in the fair, which will feature four thematic blocks of presentations. IFPA Chief Membership Officer Miriam Wolk will analyze the situation of the fruit, vegetable and flower industry. Rodrigo Mattos, Senior Research Analyst at Euromonitor, will delve into the top 10 global consumption trends in 2023. Former coach of the Brazilian national volleyball team, entrepreneur, lecturer and author Bernardinho will share the secrets to overcoming times of crisis; and Júnior Lucato, chairman of the IFPA Council, will close the talks with the industry's conclusions. The foodservice and its role in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables will be another of the points to be discussed in the presentations, said Valeska.
"At IFPA we have a goal, which is to boost the consumption of fruits, vegetables and flowers in Brazil. The domestic market has 200 million inhabitants who still consume only a third of what is recommended by the WHO. It is not just a market-oriented project, but a public policy project. If no consistent work is done on traceability, cold chain, or recognition to producers and supermarkets whose work is oriented towards these principles, consumers won't have the opportunity to consume more and better."
"The other problem is that many people don't eat fruit simply because they don't have the right knowledge about the seasonality of the products. That's why the IFPA has prepared digital kits with photos, recipes and information about the benefits of each fruit which should allow supermarkets to connect with consumers. We also offer a free online workshop that can be replicated in each store. Education is a very important key to boosting consumption, and our association is convinced that our job is to contribute to the development of the market."
"Visitors are welcome to come on August 22 and 23, and we can already announce that in 2024, everyone will be welcome again on August 20 and 21."
For more information:
IFPA Brasil
Valeska Oliveira
[email protected]
https://freshproduce.com.br
