The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (Shaffe) has founded an ad-hoc sustainability taskforce to identify common challenges and develop strategic recommendations on what a sustainable produce industry could look like by 2030.
Sustainability has become a recurring theme in the general business and public domain and is already having a significant impact on southern hemisphere produce industry exporters and growers, in terms of measuring and complying to sustainable practices.
In this context, the Shaffe sustainability taskforce has the primary objective of identifying common challenges and outlining specific recommendations on the issue for members and industry related private and public stakeholders.
The taskforce has until September 2021 to develop the first draft of a white paper that will outline key policy recommendations and future strategy and actions for the organisation.
According to Charif Christian Carvajal, Shaffe president and director of marketing for Europe and Asia of Asoex, “We are pleased that members have been very motivated to participate in this important initiative and that the group is composed of experienced industry professionals that come from a diverse array of member countries and which will undoubtedly enrich the exchange of information and applicability of the recommendations to be formulated by the taskforce”.
Gabriel Wassermann from the Argentine Blueberry Committee will chair the group which will be made up of Jorge de Souza from Abrafrutas, Ricardo Adonis from Asoex, Gary Jones from New Zealand Apple and Pears, Paul Hardman from South Africa’s Citrus Growers Association and Marta Bentancur from Upefruy.
The taskforce will meet over the coming weeks, guided by a roadmap, which includes an initial kick-off meeting together with external experts to set the scene and define the current state of the art of sustainability in the produce industry.
