Freshfel Europe's vice-president Philippe Henri used the annual WUWM conference last week to emphasise the key roles that various trade segments play in meeting the increasingly complex requirements of supply chain customers and end consumers.
Speaking at the event, which took place in Palma de Mallorca, Spain on 14-17 September, Mr Henri used the discussions on future trends for wholesale market innovation and on global supply to highlight the paradoxes of today's situation for the fresh produce sector.
He outlined how public authorities fail to value the benefits of legislation leading as a consequence to a proliferation of standards, while at the same time consumer confidence is being eroded by NGOs, although he added that most fresh produce has never been as safe as it is today.
'Most of the monitoring and food safety reports indicate that fruit and vegetables adhere to strict food safety requirements enshrined in the European legislation, which are further enhanced by certification schemes,' Mr Henri told delegates. 'Residue monitoring shows that exceedance of maximum residue limits (MRLs) are decreasing while active substances are becoming safer and the use per hectare of these substances is significantly declining.'
The complex situation of food safety and other environmental standards means that the various operators across the supply chain are adding value and are playing an increasingly crucial role in helping the sector cope with requirements.
WUWM's conference concluded that wholesale markets and their operators play a vital role in the supply chain, with the various segments of the trade providing guarantees to the entire supply chain – as well as end consumers – that fresh produce meets high quality and safety levels.
'While today many advocate for short and local distribution channels linking producers directly to consumers, such an approach fails to recognise that the fresh produce supply chain is a value chain, based on proximity, which secures to consumers the widest and the safest choice of fresh produce,' said Mr Henri.
