Buyers from leading international retailers Tesco and Walmart will headline this year’s Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere, which is returning to Lima in Peru for a two-day conference and networking event on 6-7 November 2014.
Eurofruit’s leading fresh produce conference for Southern Hemisphere suppliers will offer in-depth analysis of Peru’s rapidly expanding role in the international fresh produce arena, bringing together trade experts from around the world and key players from the country’s fruit and vegetable industry to discuss new opportunities for the Latin American supplier.
The event will also offer unparalleled opportunities to network with buyers, marketers and suppliers.
The conference programme will start with an introductory presentation by Carlos Enrique Camet, president of the Peruvian Agrarian Producers Guilds Association (Agap), who will outline the reasons why Peru’s fresh produce industry is such an attractive prospect for investors.
Afterwards, Tesco’s commercial sourcing manager for the Americas, Leo Cruz, and Mike Soulsby of Delica Global will offer their unique insight into how Peru can further grow its exports in the years ahead.
New winners, new markets
Berries are undoubtedly one of the categories most likely to drive that expansion in the coming decade, so experts from US groups Naturipe and Fall Creek Farm & Nursery will take part in a special session dedicated not only to berries but also to other potential future export winners like pomegranates and exotics.
Of course, Peru’s future success also depends on whether it is able to sustain its growth in established export categories such as citrus. Alvaro Muñoz of leading marketer AMC-MM Group, Estuardo Masias of La Calera and Emilio Teresa of Spain’s Teresa Hermanos, developer of the innovative Queen clementine, will take part in a session looking at how the Peruvian citrus deal might evolve and what role new varieties will play in shaping the country’s future in the international citrus supply chain.
Following the success Peru has seen for its Red Globe grapes in China, unlocking the potential that exists across Asia will also be a key theme during the conference.
Nitin Agrawal of Euro Fruits in India and buyers from some of Asia’s other big import markets – including South Korea and China – will be on hand to explore new commercial opportunities in the region.
Technological innovation
As competition in global markets intensifies, exporters are set to become increasingly reliant on innovations to give them a competitive edge.
In two separate breakout sessions, delegates can listen to case studies about some of the most recent developments at leading global suppliers of packaging, grading and pre- and post-harvest solutions.
The first day then concludes with a session looking at how Peru can maximise its potential on the global market. Following a presentation by Mayda Sotomayor of Seald Sweet (part of the Univeg Group), a panel including one of Walmart’s senior directors of global food sourcing in Latin America, plus representatives of trade promotion agency PromPeru and leading exporter Jose Antonio Castro of Agrokasa will analyse and draw conclusions from the day’s discussions.
New, in-depth workshops
A new addition to the Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere in 2014 will be three specially designed, two-hour workshops hosted by industry experts covering different parts of the export value chain.
In the first of these, Leo Cruz of Tesco will look at how the retailer’s procurement model can create long-term partnerships in the country. The other two will be hosted by specialists from the blueberry and table grape categories.
Concluding the second day of the congress, delegates will also be given the opportunity to visit some of Peru’s export-focused logistics facilities.
For more information about this year’s conference programme, please contact:
Press contact: Maura Maxwell – Latin America Editor
Eurofruit, Asiafruit and Americafruit
Tel: +44 20 7501 3706 | maura@fruitnet.com
Further information and registration available online at www.eurofruitcongress.com/sh
