There is no denying that SIAL, the massive and well-established French food show held in Paris, plays a major role in promoting the country’s cornucopia of products.

Having attended a press conference in London to whip up interest among potential would-be exhibitors and remind visitors that the event is between 17-21 October, the question that comes to mind is whether in today’s world the event still holds significance for the UK fresh produce industry.

Statistics for 2008 are admittedly still impressive. The 400 exhibitors apparently attracted 26,000 visitors, of which 84 per cent met new suppliers. However, perhaps underlining the point I am going to make, the numbers only grew by one per cent between 2004 and 2008.

So while SIAL may rightly be well supported by other sectors of the food industry, there is no doubt that times have changed when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables.

My time in the fresh produce trade dates back to when delegations of UK produce importers were a major force that were both courted and entertained. There were private marketing conferences taking place on the side lines, new crops coming forward in bulk and Sopexa, with a budget of hundreds of thousands of pounds, stood as a major UK promotional force to help oil the wheels.

English growers, under the umbrella of the Union Jack, confidently went across the Channel to find customers.

But well before the economic downturn and the pressure on price by the multiples, there were signs that our own market was becoming a far less attractive proposition. There was also increased competition filling the calendar. Virtually every country with an export-orientated industry set-up often specifically targeted events using conferences and exhibitions to court the same potential customers.

As it has created bigger battalions at all levels from production to retailing, so has the global nature of the trade led to fewer participants.

Another important factor has been the rise of the specialist Fruit Logistica exhibition in Berlin, which has become the hub of the European produce world and where everyone meets.

With companies now far more cost-conscious, the reality is that the effectiveness of exhibiting or even attending a proportion of the events on the annual calendar requires major decision-making in terms of time and money.

The days of long and, it must be admitted, enjoyable trips by wholesale panelists have been superseded by one-to-one visits, which take hours rather than a week.

More than ever in today’s world, the first question is: how effective will going anywhere be in terms of improving the balance sheet?

David Shapley is a horticultural journalist and former editor of FPJ. To feature in this column, email editorial@fpj.co.uk