The Freshness from Europe marketing project was on show in China last week, as the three-year, CSO Italy-organised campaign took part at China Fruit Logistica in Shanghai.
A booth customised with the project's keynote images, expert staff and a quality all-Italian product offering where on display at the event, and results from participation described as 'excellent', with strong returns in terms of visitors to the booth and the quality of contacts made.
“For Italy, China is a market of huge potential, now gradually being confirmed, especially with kiwifruit, of which about 15,000 tonnes are now exported, with double-figure growth ever since the market was opened up,' explained CSO Italy president Paolo Bruni.
'The next objective Italian fruit and vegetable growers have set themselves in China concerns citrus, which will be offered on the Chinese market starting from the current season,” he added.
Participation helped raise the profile of the €5.3m Freshness from Europe project, scheduled to end in July 2018, amongst exhibitors and visitors from all over the world.
“This major event in China revealed that the Chinese fruit and vegetable sector is definitely interested not only in the products but also in the solutions the Italian supply chain has to offer: from us, the Chinese market is seeking high-grade fruit and vegetables that effectively meet the fast-growing demand from Chinese consumers,' Bruni outlined.
'There was also great appreciation of the messages and contents of the Freshness from Europe project, which brought to China invaluable information about the environment-friendly, healthy growing methods adopted by our farmers in Europe.”
