Portugal Fresh, the body that promotes Portuguese fruits, vegetables and flowers, will showcase the country's fresh produce offer at the VIII German Congress of Fruits and Vegetables (DOGK) to be held in Düsseldorf on 20-21 September.
The congress, whose theme this year is online commerce, expects to attract around 600 professionals from Germany’s fresh produce industry, including several leading German supermarkets.
Portugal’s participation will consist of a stand where delegates will be able to taste innovative recipes made with some of the country’s star products, including Rocha pears and berries.
In addition, Portugal Fresh’s president and CEO Gonçalo Santos Andrade will give a presentation on the opportunities that Portugal offers to its German partners.
“Portugal is the California of Europe. It is the only country in southern Europe that has an Atlantic influence, which means we can produce strategic products throughout the year,” he said.
“Good water availability and fertile soils are other factors that allow us grow high quality fruits and vegetables.”
Since its creation in 2010, Portugal Fresh has worked tirelessly to promote Portuguese fruit and vegetable exports, thereby supporting the economic growth of the country.
An ambitious promotional calendar for 2018 includes activities in 13 countries as diverse as Colombia, Sweden, Denmark, Dubai and the US.
“We will be at all the main international events, as well as in other markets where we have trade agreements and are looking to increase our exports, such as Mexico and Colombia,” said Andrade.
“We also intend to open discussions with new prominent markets like China and India where we still do not have agreements for export, 'he added.
Since 2015, when Portugal featured as the guest country at Fruit Logistica, Germany has risen from ninth to fifth in the rankings of destinations for Portuguese horticultural products, and its importance continues to grow.
In 2018, exports are projected to reach €100m, making Germany Portugal’s third most important market.
Spain is the biggest market, absorbing 30.5 per cent of Portuguese horticultural exports worth €450m. It is followed by France with 12.1 per cent, the UK (9.4 per cent), and the Netherlands (8.2 per cent).
