CO₂ Correct: New initiative simplifies carbon offsetting

A new initiative has just been launched by consultant Stephan Schneider to make it easier and cheaper for companies in the fruit and vegetable sector to offset CO₂ emissions (Fruchthandel, 9 September). To do so, a company becomes a member of the CO₂ Correct platform (www.co2corrrect.com) and fills in a table indicating the products it wishes to offset. A few days later, the system will indicate a compensation price per kilogram – usually only a few cents per kilogram, depending on the country of origin and final destination. “Fruit and vegetable products can then be sold with a corresponding label,” explains Stephan Schneider.

EU

European fruit growers prepare for difficult harvest

In August many European producers feared a resurgence of Covid-19 resulting in localised border closures and the risk of no access for seasonal workers (FPC Fresh Talk Daily, 3 August). Added to this is the difficulty of enforcing physical distance on farms for some specific activities, which has resulted in the creation of clusters. The use of local workers differs from one country and farm to another. In Portugal, berry farms turned to thousands of migrant workers from South Asia, who were already in the country and had lost jobs in tourism during the closure. Local workers who have resumed their former jobs outside agriculture will not be available for the apple harvest in September. Even though producers can find local replacements, some complain that they are not as productive, resulting in higher costs. And European producers face an additional challenge in the weather. Heavy rains and hailstones have damaged some crops this year in Spain, the EU’s largest fruit exporter. According to APEOEXPA, an association of fruit producers and exporters in the region of Murcia (south-eastern Spain), local production has fallen by 20% due to the bad weather. Good levels of consumption and prices have compensated for this loss of volume.

Large regional differences in international vegetable consumption

A recent study in scientific journal “Nutrients” looked at vegetable consumption in many countries around the world, which for 88% of the countries included in the study remains well below the 240 g per day recommended by the World Health Organization (Fruchthandel, 17 August). The researchers noted vegetable consumption in 162 countries and vegetable availability in 136 countries. The results show that 186 g of vegetables are consumed on average per day, but there are important regional differences, for example 349 g (Far East) versus 56 g (Central America). The study also mentions that the average availability of vegetables per person is higher than the recommended amount of 431 g per day, but with a great disparity between countries, for example in Melanesia (71 g/day) versus the Far East (882 g/day). The study notes that 61% of the countries did not have sufficient availability of vegetables for their population.

United Kingdom

Covid-19 highlights the value of locally produced food

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the value of locally-sourced produce and sustainable food systems in the UK, according to industry experts (FPC Fresh Talk Daily, 20 August). Recent reports show that food transparency, local sourcing and “immunity” eating are key drivers for consumer purchasing decisions. Consumers have highlighted food transparency, local sourcing, and healthy food with minimal environmental impact as key factors in their purchasing decisions. 75% of consumers want to know more about the safety of the food they eat, and 51% want to understand the food they eat better. In addition, 48% of consumers are willing to pay more for local food and brands that highlight local provenance and supply chains. In March, analysis and research company GlobalData reported that 45% of consumers are actively buying products that are better for the environment. 50% of consumers are seeking to consume more responsibly. A new trend seems to be emerging: the “immune consumer”, who is looking for foods that offer benefits for their immune system. To meet this demand, the food industry will need to offer affordable products in the context of the economic crisis. Another challenge for governments is to enable disadvantaged people to access nutritious food produced in a sustainable way. It will be necessary to support charities and food cooperatives, but also to contract local producers.

Fairtrade bananas high on UK shopping lists

Fairtrade bananas have almost a quarter of the market share in the UK, and sales fell less than those of their non-certified counterpart during lockdown (Fresh Plaza, 28 August). This way, UK consumers have helped to drive this improvement in the quality of life of banana farmers. Amy Morris, Waitrose’s Sustainability Coordinator, said “Back in 2007 we committed to sourcing 100% of our bananas as Fairtrade. Since then we’ve seen the difference Fairtrade makes to the lives of farmers and workers within our banana supply chain and we continue to work closely with the Fairtrade Foundation to do what we can to support.”

Government must address UK’s low food self-sufficiency

Following the release of new data, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has told the UK government to prioritise food security (FPC Fresh Talk Daily, 24 August). The new figures show Britain’s self-sufficiency is at just 64%, a number that has remained stagnant for years. The UK is only 18% self-sufficient in fruit, 55% self-sufficient in fresh vegetables (–16%) and 71% self-sufficient in potatoes (–16%). NFU President Minette Batters said “We have a golden opportunity to put food security at the centre of our food system and to become a world leader in sustainable food production.”

France

Cities need to rethink their food systems to be more resilient and sustainable

The health crisis has revealed the fragility of cities’ food supply. The NGO Let’s Food has questioned local authorities and civil society around the world on the impacts and potential adaptations (Réussir Fruits et Légumes, 16 July). The majority of responses came from Europe, with 30% from associations and 28% from companies. Urban centres have been highly dependent on imports. Internet platforms have been set up by some major cities in France, and by civil society actors around the world (Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Italy) with the involvement of collective producer organisations or other structures facilitating the maintenance of trade and logistics. In France, wholesale markets have played an important role in the mutualisation and coordination of local producers. In France, in April 2020, during the containment period, e-commerce reached 9.5% market share. On a global scale, forecasts indicate that by 2024, 70% of consumers will use the internet for their food purchases (versus 25% today). This shift has led to greater access to local products, but has also accentuated the digital divide, and raises questions of sustainability (energy costs, multiplication of delivery services, etc.). Urban centres have strengthened cooperation with their local area (e.g. Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Cork in Ireland), with their green belt, or even with urban production (balconies, shared gardens or even the jnens, food gardens around the city in Sfax in Tunisia) and have shown themselves to be more resilient, with an attenuation of the rise in fruit and vegetable prices.

The Netherlands

Fruit and vegetables and cooking cans benefit from the coronavirus crisis

Experts from Dutch company ABN AMRO predict that consumption of fruit and vegetables in the Netherlands will increase by 2% in volume in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic (Fruchtandel, 4 September). In terms of distribution, (online) supermarkets and specialist fruit and vegetable shops have gained market share, while the out-of-home catering and hotel sector and their suppliers have lost out. Online sales of ready-to-eat meals and easy-to-prepare dishes have increased by 14% in the first seven months of 2020. The study also notes differences in the vegetables consumed: a significant increase for peppers and aubergines, while asparagus was much less in demand.

The five largest organic markets in Europe

According to figures published by Agence Bio (France) in its 2020 report, the five largest European markets in 2018 (Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, UK) will account for more than €33 billion of organic expenditure, 78% of the total (Réussir Fruits et Légumes, 3 September).

• Germany (€11.9 billion, €144 per inhabitant per year; not including the out-of-home catering market) is the largest organic market in Europe. In 2019, 5.7% of home food consumption will be organic. Large-scale distribution (dominated by discount stores) holds 60% of the market share. Organic shops (including large producer shops) represent 27% of the market, which will grow in 2019.
• In France (€11.9 billion euros, €178 euros per person per year) the organic market grew by +13.5% in 2019. 6.1% of French households’ food purchases are organic. Mass distribution represents 55% of the organic market, with 35% of sales of fresh fruit and vegetables. Specialised organic distribution represents 28% of organic product sales (43% for fruit and vegetables) and direct sales 11% (22% for fruit and vegetables).
• Italy (€4.1 billion euros, €68 euros per person per year) saw a growing market in 2018 (+15.1% compared with 2017). Consumption of organic products represents 3.5% of total food consumption, with an export orientation. Large-scale distribution (nearly 50% market share), is growing strongly (+21% from 2017 to 2018), mainly in the discount sector. Specialised shops, on the other hand, are in decline (–2.3%). Out-of-home catering accounts for 15% of the market.
• Sweden (€2.7 billion euros, €264 euros per person per year) has tripled its organic market since 2010. 50% of the turnover is by the supermarkets due to lower prices (private labels and discounts). Out-of-home catering (20%) is a major distribution channel for organic products.
• In the UK, the organic sector has returned to growth since 2013 and now accounts for 1.6% of food purchases (€2.7 billion, €41 per person per year). Large-scale distribution (65%) is the main distribution channel for organic products, but e-commerce (15% of the market, +11% compared to 2018) is on the rise.