The European authorities could be poised to reclassify a number of fresh fruit imports as berries in a move apparently designed to streamline customs procedures, Fruitnet.com has learned.
In previously unpublished documents seen by Eurofruit Magazine, the European Commission has outlined a proposed radical reworking of the administrative system surrounding imports of several products, including bananas, grapes, oranges, tomatoes, watermelons and lemons.
Under the terms of the new system, all of the fruits named in the proposal would be classified as berries, a move the EC says will reduce the workload on customs officials and enable importers to move fruit quicker to their final destination, the report said.
Fruitnet.com understands the idea was first put forward after EC mandarins discovered that, in botanical terms, a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary.
The European Commission's special delegate for horticultural nomenclature, Adolfo Franklin, said there had been widespread support for the move, particularly among retailers.
'Many of the leading names in the food retail sector, such as Tesco, Carrefour, Asda-Walmart, Metro, Edeka, Rewe and Ahold, are in agreement over the potential implementation of this reclassification and the possible synergistic actualisation of the appellation designation.'
But one industry source who would not be named called the proposals into question, arguing that expanding the berries category would result in increased workloads for berry marketers.
'We're already rushed off our feet trying to meet the huge demand for all kinds of berries across Europe,' the source said. 'If bananas and grapes are suddenly classed as berries, our customers are going to expect to source them from us and we'll be completely overrun. This is a very foolish idea.'
