Thursday, 6th February
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is the figure earnt by Berlin’s economy as a result of the consumption surrounding FRUIT LOGISTICA. The service sector, hotels, restaurants and taxis, for example, are very happy with the number of visitors. The increased expenditure in consumption also means higher tax revenues for Berlin of around 4.8 million euros in 2019. The calculations are based on an IBB study and statistics from Messe Berlin.
foods are lost or end up in waste every year, which is about one third of the global production per annum. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in industrialised countries the amount wasted equals 680 billion US dollars and in developing countries 310 billion US dollars. The greatest waste occurs in fruit, vegetables, roots and tubers. This is one of the main reasons why food waste is a key issue for FRUIT LOGISTICA.
Devoted to sustainability
“Do the right thing (right)”: This year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA Trend Report is devoted to sustainability, just like the trade fair itself. This covers the entire value chain: from the cultivation of crops that require few pesticides and fertilisers through water and energy-saving production, environmentally-friendly packaging and low-emission transport, to retail and household storage that results in minimum wastage.
Here is an example in cultivation and farming: the British company, CN Seeds, is presenting its new basil seeds which are naturally resistant to downy mildew. So the fungus no longer needs to be treated with chemical pesticides. The growing medium designed for greenhouse cultivation by the Finnish company, Novarbo, consists of peat moss. After harvesting, this medium can be composted together with any plant residue, making it more environmentally-friendly than rock wool, which has to be disposed of conventionally.
And here is an example in packaging: a viewing panel made of natural cellophane means that the “Eco-View” mini cardboard boxes from the Polish company, Sofrupak (photo), are recyclable and biodegradable. The same also applies to the cardboard boxes from Creapaper GmbH based in North-Rhine Westphalia. But these are composed of hay. According to the company, up to 75 percent CO2 can be saved, compared to producing wood pulp.
And last but not least, it is essential to reduce food waste during storage. For this purpose, the Israeli firm, Post Harvest Solutions, provides outer packaging that absorbs the ripening gas, ethylene, produced by fruit, thereby slowing down the fruit and vegetable ageing process. The US start-up, StixFresh, is presenting an innovative sticker: featuring a special wax and organic ingredients, this sticker can extend the shelf life of fruit by up to two weeks.
The motto of the NFG New Fruit Group shows that sustainability goes beyond environmental aspects: “Sustainability creating value”. Founded at last year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA, this start-up, which sources organic fruit and vegetables from the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Ivory Coast, relies on equal partnerships – including knowledge transfer and fair prices.
Three questions to...
Xavier Lazo, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Ecuador
Mr Lazo, Ecuador is presenting its new “Premium & Sustainable” strategy at FRUIT LOGISTICA. What does sustainability mean to you?
For a country like Ecuador, sustainability is a must. Our ecosystems have great potential, but are also extremely fragile and must be used with care. Sustainability also means creating opportunities for our farmers, over 85 percent of whom manage small and medium-sized businesses. The ultimate aim is to combat rural poverty.
How do you plan to involve smallholders?
By means of a modern cooperative system that increases their competitiveness – through improved access to loans, technologies, infrastructure and production resources. And by enhancing the role of women in rural areas and providing young people with entrepreneurial expertise.
What do you currently believe to be the biggest challenges?
The first is definitely the qualification of our smallholders. The second is social, inclusive policymaking. The third is good communication at an international level to show which high-quality products, both traditional and new, our country has to offer. And, most importantly: We must help our producers to become more resilient to climate change.
The company Afrex supplies leading chefs all over the world with edible flowers. Not only do the flowers look attractive - they also impact the taste buds. Inconspicuous acmella oleracea, for example, stimulates the flow of saliva and purifies the sense of taste. Cucumber flowers have a refreshing cucumber flavour; fuchsias have a lemony tang. And butterfly pea colours long drinks blue.
Afrex Trading
Hall 26, D19
Etienne Taitz
T: +27 82 6109078
e-mail
The Batata doce from Portugal (in English: “sweet potato”) is available in four colours and three different savours. In the Comporta region, south of Lisbon, they are grown to size in the white sand, not too far away from the sea. The lilac variant has a bittersweet flavour, the orange variant is a little sweeter, and the white and yellow potatoes hold the full sweet flavour.
Titular
Hall 5.2; Stand C09
Joaquim Penas
T: +351 968550793
e-mail
TICKER
+++ New record: Today, FRUIT LOGISTICA gained its 10,000th follower on Instagram! A social media team is reporting live from the trade fair every day, including on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. +++ New to the trade fair: In an urban gardening project, the founders of Plant Maker from Denmark discovered their passion for herbs. To preserve them better, they produce organic liquid herbs pickled in vinegar, which can be used exactly like fresh herbs. +++ New for your career: On #fruityfriday, companies looking for new talent can now make presentations in the new Career Network Area in Hall 10.1. There, young professionals will have the opportunity to network with HR managers. Industry specialists will make brief presentations on the Career Network Stage, providing insights into the various fields of work in the industry. +++ Innovations wanted: Until Thursday evening, all specialist visitors to the trade fair can vote on which innovation should be awarded the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) tomorrow. Visitors can vote in the passageway between Halls 20 and 21. Participants can win one of five Apple watches. +++
“I loved the whole circulatory system for greenhouses. This technology makes optimal use of the available sunlight. Which is particularly decisive for us in Morocco to intensify plant production and reduce CO2 emissions.”
Alexandra Stein
Director of Sustainability, Azura Group
“I have learnt a lot today about new developments in post-harvest technology in a presentation. Innovative machines are, therefore, able to help producers in my home country, India, to achieve higher profits by processing their products.”
Sunil Chandak
Director, Achira Exports
“Today I heard an interesting talk about new greenhouse technologies which I can use on my farm in Ghana. They will make it possible for me to use less pesticides in the cultivation of vegetables.”
Akwasi Adepa
Co-owner and Vice President of Operations, SGA Farms
“I found it interesting to see how we can grow a variety of crops sustainably, scalably and locally in greenhouses. It was very encouraging to see that distributors and investors are now working together and supporting this type of cultivation.”
Laura Rigo
Account Manager, It’s Fresh!
Preview for Friday, 7th February
• Tomorrow, the Global Women’s Network event will be taking place at FRUIT LOGISTICA for the second time, with Michelle Redfern, founder of Advancing Women, and others.
Hall 27, Stand A02, 10.00-11.00
• Friday is Start-Up Day at FRUIT LOGISTICA. The Tech Stage will become the Start-Up Stage. The speakers will include Rob Trice, who will talk about how to incorporate new ideas into companies in ways that are beneficial to agriculture.
Hall 9, Stand B13, 10.10-10.30
• At the Logistics Hub, the morning will be all about food waste in the fresh fruit sector and how to avoid it.
Hall 26, Stand A02, 10.00-12.00
• One topic at the Future Lab will be how plants can provide the best data for irrigation.
Hall 27, Stand A01, 12.00-12.30
• Among other topics, the Fresh Produce Forum will focus on financing in the Sub-Saharan agricultural sector, with examples of successful investment projects in the African farming industry.
Hall B/CityCube Berlin, Stand A01, 13.00-14.00
• Tomorrow, the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) will be presented to the innovation that this year’s visitors found most appealing.
Passageway between Halls 20/21, 14.30-15.30
See the entire schedule in the program overview.
THE VIDEO OF THE DAY
In one word: What do you think makes FRUIT LOGISTICA what it is? The responses received from exhibitors and visitors today have been as diverse and international as the trade fair itself.
The latest videos, featuring the latest insights from the trade fair and expert interviews, are available on YouTube
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!
Kind regards,
Your FRUIT LOGISTICA team
Messe Berlin GmbH
Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin, Germany
fruitlogistica@messe-berlin.de
www.fruitlogistica.com
Management board: Dr. Christian Göke (Vorsitzender), Dirk Hoffmann
Chairman of the supervisory board: Wolf-Dieter Wolf
Amtsgericht Charlottenburg (District Court), HRB 5484 B (Commercial Code)