April's Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) convention, which took place in Toronto, confirmed the country's continuing interest in importing high-quality fresh produce from Europe.
That was the verdict of those behind European Flavors, the marketing campaign for European fresh products, which was on show at the event to promote fruit including topfruit, citrus, stonefruit, grapes and kiwifruit.
The European Flavors stand in Toronto introduced Canadian and North American market operators to these main European products, with the aim of creating contacts between producing companies and the continent's major distributors.
'The zone is particularly strategic for European fruit and vegetable exports,' the campaign organisers stated. 'If we look at the figures, Italian sector exports to Canada and the US amounted to 20,000 tonnes annually – about 10,000 tonnes each – which generates a turnover of more than €20m.'
European Flavors is co-financed by the European Union (50 per cent), Italian body CSO (30 per cent) and the Italian government (20 per cent).
