Apr 2007
What goes around, comes around
01 April 2007 12:07 Filed in: Americas
Luisa Cheshire
Isn't it funny how things come full circle? The last CPMA convention held in Montreal marked one of my first forays into the North American produce industry – and a chilly experience it was too. But the bone-freezing February temperatures failed to dent my enthusiasm for a sector that I quickly learned is both fascinating and fast-moving – not to mention extremely welcoming.
It seems fitting, therefore, that just as Canada’s leading trade show returns to Quebec’s historic city for its 82nd convention, I should hang up my produce hat (temporarily at least) to pursue pastures new – namely motherhood.
A great deal has happened within the industry during my few years at Americafruit Magazine; the most salient of which seems to be the sector’s latest push towards securing food safety. This April alone some US$8m has been pledged for research into preventing the spread of food-borne pathogens (see p4-5 of the latest issue) in the wake of the tragic E.coli outbreak that swept across the US and Canada last autumn and winter.
Industry bodies, government agencies and private firms are clubbing together to protect the health of consumers, as well as their own future, by setting up research centres, studies and projects to stop similar occurrences from ever happening again. It’s not often an industry demonstrates such solidarity: a fitting reaction to a dreadful event.
The tide is also turning within the realms of US import law. Instead of barring items left, right and centre, the country has recently opened up to a flurry of new products – seemingly relaxing its protectionist stance. Within the last six months or so, the US has allowed Mexican avocados into all 50 states, granted access to New Zealand citrus (see p33), and agreed to let in fresh mangoes from India (see p5). Could the country be mellowing in its old age? Or is it simply capitulating to globalisation pressures and consumer demand for produce year-round?
Perhaps Mother Nature is another contributing factor? Climatic disasters and erratic weather patterns are making securing domestic supplies ever more unpredictable. But retailers have shelves to fill, so importers need to widen their sourcing net to meet demand.
It goes without saying that the next several years will see a great many more changes, driven to a large extent by developments in supply chain technology. I wish you luck keeping pace with them all, and to all of you, the very best for the future – whatever it may bring.
Isn't it funny how things come full circle? The last CPMA convention held in Montreal marked one of my first forays into the North American produce industry – and a chilly experience it was too. But the bone-freezing February temperatures failed to dent my enthusiasm for a sector that I quickly learned is both fascinating and fast-moving – not to mention extremely welcoming.
It seems fitting, therefore, that just as Canada’s leading trade show returns to Quebec’s historic city for its 82nd convention, I should hang up my produce hat (temporarily at least) to pursue pastures new – namely motherhood.
A great deal has happened within the industry during my few years at Americafruit Magazine; the most salient of which seems to be the sector’s latest push towards securing food safety. This April alone some US$8m has been pledged for research into preventing the spread of food-borne pathogens (see p4-5 of the latest issue) in the wake of the tragic E.coli outbreak that swept across the US and Canada last autumn and winter.
Industry bodies, government agencies and private firms are clubbing together to protect the health of consumers, as well as their own future, by setting up research centres, studies and projects to stop similar occurrences from ever happening again. It’s not often an industry demonstrates such solidarity: a fitting reaction to a dreadful event.
The tide is also turning within the realms of US import law. Instead of barring items left, right and centre, the country has recently opened up to a flurry of new products – seemingly relaxing its protectionist stance. Within the last six months or so, the US has allowed Mexican avocados into all 50 states, granted access to New Zealand citrus (see p33), and agreed to let in fresh mangoes from India (see p5). Could the country be mellowing in its old age? Or is it simply capitulating to globalisation pressures and consumer demand for produce year-round?
Perhaps Mother Nature is another contributing factor? Climatic disasters and erratic weather patterns are making securing domestic supplies ever more unpredictable. But retailers have shelves to fill, so importers need to widen their sourcing net to meet demand.
It goes without saying that the next several years will see a great many more changes, driven to a large extent by developments in supply chain technology. I wish you luck keeping pace with them all, and to all of you, the very best for the future – whatever it may bring.
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