Germany's Union of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organisations (BVEO) has announced the creation of a new export association, German Fruit, Vegetables and Horticultural Products (GFV), following its recent incorporation of the German Export Association for Food and Agri-products (GEFA).
The move follows last year's disbandment of Germany's central marketing organisation for fresh fruit and vegetables CMA after the German Federal Constitutional Court ruled last February that the marketing payments it levied from producers were illegal.
'This should ensure that, in the post-CMA era, the interests of German fruit, vegetable and horticultural exporters are adequately represented in the context of government-backed activities in foreign markets,' said Karl Schmitz of BVEO.
The BVEO said it had agreed with the remaining shareholders of GEFA to broaden the industry association and also to include BOGK, which represents Germany's fruit and vegetable processing companies.
'This ensures that German fruit, vegetables and horticultural products are united in foreign markets and that there will be no confusion in those markets,' Mr Schmitz added.