Another year older, another year wiser
01 December 2009 11:06
Gill McShane
Well folks, the time has come once again for reflection, new year’s resolutions and, perhaps most importantly, celebration! I think I say this nearly every December, but time really does seem to be flying by these days and after my first 12 months as editor of Americafruit Magazine I can honestly say I’ve never been busier.
And it seems the same applies to the produce industry. Flicking through past issues, it’s surprising to take stock of just how much has happened in the past year. With the recession dominating the headlines, it’s also easy to forget about all of the other positive developments that have taken place.
One thing that does stand out is the number of opportunities still open to the business. As the US Child Nutrition Act gains greater support, the trade has the potential to supply more fruits and vegetables for 31m school lunches every day. Across the generations, meanwhile, consumers say they are buying more produce as the health trend continues to bite. And it appears that even the higher prices of the organics and Fairtrade sectors are failing to put off shoppers.
As a result, imports are expanding steadily. In the last year, we’ve spoken with buyers in major sourcing hubs, including Texas, California, Miami, Nogales, Vancouver and Montreal, all of whom maintain that the trade is robust. Indeed, the USDA estimates that US fruit sourcing will reach 8.8m tons in 2009, up slightly from 8.67m tons in 2008, while vegetable arrivals are expected to remain stable at 4.6m tons.
And all this during a year when topsy-turvy weather conditions, particularly in South America, have shaved volume expectations and key country suppliers, like Mexico, Chile and Peru, have increasingly diversified their export markets to new horizons. On the otherhand, one has to remember that during 2009 we’ve seen the arrival for the first time of Chilean navels and grapefruit, Taiwanese longans, Vietnamese dragonfruit, and, in the not too distant future, Peruvian avocados, Argentinean lemons, Uruguayan citrus and Philippine bananas may also reach North American shores.
With reforms to the US food safety system just around the corner, plus climate change and corporate social responsibility playing an increasingly larger role, the next 12 months are set to be as challenging as ever. But in recognising the resilience that the produce industry has shown over the last year and suppliers’ willingness to adapt and innovate, one can bet that 2010 will be as successful as ever. So raise your glasses to toast a Happy New Year!
Well folks, the time has come once again for reflection, new year’s resolutions and, perhaps most importantly, celebration! I think I say this nearly every December, but time really does seem to be flying by these days and after my first 12 months as editor of Americafruit Magazine I can honestly say I’ve never been busier.
And it seems the same applies to the produce industry. Flicking through past issues, it’s surprising to take stock of just how much has happened in the past year. With the recession dominating the headlines, it’s also easy to forget about all of the other positive developments that have taken place.
One thing that does stand out is the number of opportunities still open to the business. As the US Child Nutrition Act gains greater support, the trade has the potential to supply more fruits and vegetables for 31m school lunches every day. Across the generations, meanwhile, consumers say they are buying more produce as the health trend continues to bite. And it appears that even the higher prices of the organics and Fairtrade sectors are failing to put off shoppers.
As a result, imports are expanding steadily. In the last year, we’ve spoken with buyers in major sourcing hubs, including Texas, California, Miami, Nogales, Vancouver and Montreal, all of whom maintain that the trade is robust. Indeed, the USDA estimates that US fruit sourcing will reach 8.8m tons in 2009, up slightly from 8.67m tons in 2008, while vegetable arrivals are expected to remain stable at 4.6m tons.
And all this during a year when topsy-turvy weather conditions, particularly in South America, have shaved volume expectations and key country suppliers, like Mexico, Chile and Peru, have increasingly diversified their export markets to new horizons. On the otherhand, one has to remember that during 2009 we’ve seen the arrival for the first time of Chilean navels and grapefruit, Taiwanese longans, Vietnamese dragonfruit, and, in the not too distant future, Peruvian avocados, Argentinean lemons, Uruguayan citrus and Philippine bananas may also reach North American shores.
With reforms to the US food safety system just around the corner, plus climate change and corporate social responsibility playing an increasingly larger role, the next 12 months are set to be as challenging as ever. But in recognising the resilience that the produce industry has shown over the last year and suppliers’ willingness to adapt and innovate, one can bet that 2010 will be as successful as ever. So raise your glasses to toast a Happy New Year!
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