The US-based Produce Marketing Association (PMA) announced on Monday the formation of PMA Australia/New Zealand, the first country chapter outside the US to be established by the member organisation.
PMA CEO Bryan Silbermann made the announcement at the group’s Fresh Connections conference in Sydney.
“PMA Australia/New Zealand will begin operations at the end of 2009, and will be governed by local staff,” Mr Silbermann said, adding that 60 per cent of local membership fees will be directed back to the local chapter.
The new chapter replaces the previous Australia/New Zealand country council.
“The need to build better connections is one reason we created the Australia/New Zealand country council, and creating the country chapter is part of making a more structured PMA presence here,” Mr Silbermann said.
“There is no better time to join together considering what the produce industry is going through.”
Regional training workshops and staff education will be part of the new chapter.
The Fresh Connections Australia/New Zealand conference focused on strategies to thrive in currently difficult business environments, addressing a range of subjects from cost cutting, retaining staff, changing consumer trends and expanding exports to Asia.
The conference was also host to the launch of Horticulture Australia Ltd’s (HAL) Future Focus plan, which sets out a strategy for improving Australia’s horticultural industry in coming years.
Outlining the potential of the plan, Brent Borrell from the Centre for International Economics told the conference profit projections saw a A$900m increase for the Australian horticulture industry by 2020 if business continued as usual, but with a possible A$2.45bn increase if Australia took on board some of its Southern Hemisphere competitors’ strategies.
