Representatives of Europe's leading fruit and vegetable production areas have backed a new charter which they say will safeguard the future development of Europe's fresh produce trade and, in particular, offer the right kind of support to the continent's producers.
The Charter of Cesena was signed during the first ever European Forum of Fresh Produce Regions, a forum held during the recent Macfrut trade fair in Cesena, Italy, and offers a 10-point plan for reinvigorating the sector.
The plan called on all players in the industry, as well as government officials and members of the European Commission, to do the following:
- Sustain the importance of a specific policy for the sector and of the CAP
- Draw up a policy focused on the aggregation and organisation of production by reinforcing the roles of the POs and APOs
- Place innovation at the centre of actions
- Sustain and improve sector planning using operative programmes
- Increase the transparency of commercial relations with major retail chains and food processing industries
- Coordinate efforts to promote consumption and the image of the sector through a shared network
- Prevent crises and counteract price volatility: a European market observatory
- Construct defences for more delicate European fruit and vegetable products
- Promote exports by encouraging the acknowledgement of greater reciprocity
- Stimulate generational renewal and training, which are indispensable for the revival of the sector
Bringing together fruit and vegetable producers from regions including Andalusia, Catalonia and Murcia in Spain, Provence and Languedoc in France, and Emilia-Romagna, Trentino and Veneto in Italy, the forum has the backing of the Fruit, Vegetables and Horticultural Regions Assemly (Areflh).
Meanwhile, Macfrut, which took place on 6-8 October, attracted 5 per cent more exhibitors and 1 per cent more visitors than in 2009, according to organiser Cesena Fiera.
According to the company, the proportion of international visitors was larger than during the previous event, with a 2-3 per cent increase recorded among those attending the show from overseas.
'The vibrancy of commercial trade and networking really showed in the meetings and conventions which took place,' commented Domenico Scarpellini, presdient of Macfrut. 'Exhibitors, industry players, experts and producers saw that opportunities exist to confront the crisis and contribute to overcoming it.'
This year's Macfrut was preceded by the second annual European Fruit Summit, at which discussions took place looking at European market prospects for apples, pears, kiwifruit and citrus.
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