Italy has potential for 'major growth'

The fresh fruit and vegetable sector in Italy has the potential to out-perform even the country's wine industry by leading its food business in terms of growth.

That was the confident view expressed by Italian minister of agriculture Mario Catania as he officially opened this year's fresh produce industry trade fair Macfrut, which opened its doors yesterday in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna.

The event is playing host to around 800 exhibitors this time around from across the fruit and vegetable sector.

Backed by a comprehensive programme of conference sessions looking at the entire supply chain, the event is also said to have attracted an even greater number of foreign exhibitors and visitors as well as a larger number of international buyers.

French group Ubifrance has brought together eight firms from the country's fresh produce business to take part in the fair, while organiser Cesena Fiera said more than 350 separate business meetings between foreign and Italian companies were due to take place during the course of the three-day show.

Opening the event, Catania said more still needed to be done in order to recapture the imagination of consumers and increase the intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.

"Fresh produce has the same potential as wine and is the category within the food sector which can grow the most," he observed.

Catania also revealed his ministry was working to remove phytosanitary barriers for European apples and pears in the US.

For its part, Macfrut confirmed plans to generate greater interest in fresh produce as part of a healthy diet by launching a new project called Fruit, Sport and Wellbeing.

Having contributed in the past to promoting the European School Fruit Scheme for young people, the trade event said it was now turning its attention to promoting fruit and vegetables as natural supplements for those participating in sports activities at both professional and amateur level.

The organisers of the project said they would also be looking to the European Commission to support it with additional funding.