Fresh Produce India, India’s only international conference and expo event for the fresh fruit and vegetable business, is back in Mumbai in April.
Organised by Asiafruit in cooperation with The SCS Group, Fresh Produce India takes place on 27-28 April at The Trident Nariman Point Hotel.
Since launching more than ten years ago, Fresh Produce India has become the annual meeting point for India’s fast-growing fresh produce business, attracting more the 250 decision makers each year from the local and international trade.
Building on the success of its convention-style format introduced in 2016, Fresh Produce India will further enhance the interactive experience for delegates this year through an engaging programme of panel discussions, workshops and networking opportunities before, during and after the expo.
Each morning of the two-day event kicks off with a plenary conference session addressing the headline issues in the Indian business.
Fresh Produce India Expo then opens, showcasing a range of products and services. Delegates get ample time to meet and do business at the expo. It’s the primary networking arena or Business Hub: open from 11am-5:30pm on Day One and 10:30am-2pm on Day Two.
Running alongside the expo is a programme of special workshop sessions for delegates to choose from, covering a wide range of subjects.
Plenary sessions: the headline issues
Day One kicks off with a plenary session ‘Future consumer, future trends’ focusing on the consumer trends to look out for in India. A panel of experts from the industry and the wider business world explain macro-developments in India, from the rise of online retailing to growing demand for organic foods, and examine what they mean for the fresh produce business.
From cold chain facilities to packhouse technologies, India’s fresh produce business now has a wide range of products and solutions at its disposal in order to move up the value chain. Yet such products and services are struggling to gain traction, with many stakeholders only seeing their cost, not their value. Day Two’s headline session ‘Seeing the value’ asks why this is, and looks at how industry mindsets can be changed. Case studies demonstrate how local companies have benefited from applying such models and solutions.
Workshops zone in on specific topics
After the morning plenary sessions, Fresh Produce India delegates can choose from a range of workshop sessions. Held in smaller breakout rooms, these sessions go into more detail on specific subjects in a workshop-style format
The first workshop on Day One, ‘Grape gains: getting access to the best varieties’,looks at the urgent requirement for new varieties in India’s table grape industry, and the opportunities and challenges to introducing IP from international breeding programmes.
Running concurrently with this session is a workshop on the India’s food service industry, and the potential it holds for fresh produce suppliers and marketers.
In the workshop ‘Harnessing the power of packaging’, leading players in the packaging sector discuss some of the latest solutions and technology, and explain their potential for application in India.
Meanwhile, ‘Apple brands: what’s in store?’ showcases some of the newer generation club varieties and premium apple varieties, looking at how they’re merchandised in markets around the world, and at their commercial prospects in India.
Day Two’s workshops explore new export opportunities for India in Russia and the Baltics, and the expansion of India’s fruit import market. While apples continue to dominate India’s fruit import demand, other fruits are now building up a critical mass of sales. The interactive session zones in some of the emerging categories, hearing from expert analysts and leading suppliers.
Market tours extend networking
Fresh Produce India delegates can also take part in organised visits to leading supermarkets and traditional retail markets on Day Two.
With two 90-minute networking lunches and ample time to interact with delegates and exhibitors at the expo, Fresh Produce India gives delegates a unique platform to network and connect with industry decision makers from throughout the value chain.
To view the full programme, visit www.freshproduceindia.com
