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The potential to expand demand in
Europe is high, say leading European
importers. Certainly, the year-round
trade in high quality added-value
products from Africa and a range of
other sources has transfixed British
.upermarket chains in particular. In
these circumstances, the European
market is relatively underdeveloped.
"There are opportunities to push up
demand for products of this kind all
over Europe", said Otto Reimers cf FTK
Holland BV. Some Continental
European fresh produce importers are
hoping to record largo increases in
sales: Dutch importer Hagd
International BV Isconfident it can
achieve "incredible" sales volumes
Consumer
this
awareness of bby vegetables needs to be raised season
from
to cope
a
with now
number
production
of projects it has in
this product", senior marketing
manager Simon Smith told Eurofruit
Magazine
Reputation
Fresh fruit and vegetable producers
in southern Africa are enjoying a
reputation for high quality produce
which has given them a major
competitive advantage in EC markets.
"The success of African vegetables has
a lot do with their high quality",
confirmed Norbert Timme of
Hamburg-based Trofi
Tropenfruchtimport GmbH. "They
have benefited from proper postharvest
handling, installation of new
coldstores and refrigerated trucks for
transportation as wcll as long-term
planning of production". For example,
substantial investment has been made
in Zambia where large coldstorage
facilities financed by the Zambian
Export Growers Association (ZEGA)
were completed at Lusaka airport
earlier this year. Exporters already
report quality improvements
Yet the availability of air-freight is
likely to be as much a determining
factor in the development of exports
from southern Africa as improvements
in production techniques.
"Availability of air-freight space is a
major problem", Starfruit NV
managing director Christian
Decannizre told Eurofruit Magazine.
The Belgian importer, which
generate-, 30 per cent itsBFrlbn
turnover from imports of produce
from Africa, is only hopeful of
increased availability in Belgium via
Saibena But freight roles in general
seem disproportionately hiughier in
Zanibmi, Zimbabwe and Kenya hian
from othe'r p1ris of Africa
|li( I'
air-freight space is unlikely to keep hand In Africa. Fresh produce imports
pace with expansion in production. from Africa already account for over
Some are already warning of sudden 10 per cent of total turnover, Hag6 said.
expansion in mange-tout production There is a genezal perception among
in Zimbabwe in particular, where importers that It will not require much
tobacco growers are continuing to effort to increase sales of a number of
diversify into cash-generating core products from Africa. The taste
horticultural exports. Flowers, which and quality of the produce guarantees
tends to achieve higher returns than them a future, they say. "There Is
vegetable!, per cubic foot of air-freight tremendous potential", Nigel Poll of
space, have enjoyed a more rapid Goest Tropical Produce told Eurofruit
expansion in exports: Zimbabwe's Magazine. "But there Is a need to
Horticulture Promotion Council (HPCJ Increase consumer awareness for
is estimating flower exports of 6,000 certain baby vegetables and 16gumes".
tonnes in 1992-93, more than twice
volumes shipped in 1989-90. Opened
The prospects for an improvement Parts of southern Europe would appear
in the availability of more air-freight especially ripe for expansion where
space seem patchy. "Airlines are there is likely to be an opportunity to
working very hard to offer sufficient "piggy-back" ne products Into a
space throughout the year", said Mr market which has opened Itself rapidly
Timme, "and they are doing their best to imports. Italy, for example, has seen
to charge rates which vegetables can a more than threefold increase in its
stand". Indeed, air-freight rates from total vegetable imports in six years, up
southern Africa can account for more from 67,300 tonnes in 1987 to 211,600
than 50 per cent of the total product - in 1991. Sabrosa Italia, the Milan-based
cost. Not surprisingly, some say it is exotic fruit and vegetable importer,
likely that any new marketing reports sharply increased activity since
opportunities could be determined by it was set up in 1990. "There Is still
now airline links. And in these space to market exotics", Roberto
circumstances it seems that the Merkowicz told Eurofrult Magazine.
continued emergence from isolation Although it is predominantly in fruit,
of South Africa leaves it perhaps best Africa already accounts for 15 per cent
placed to profit, of it total imports. U
Fresh vegetable imports into the EC (in tonnes)
1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
Zambia 302 803 1,174 1,875 1,649
Zimabwe 640 810 1,003 1,8806 2,642
South Africa 7,479 6,239 4,903 7,234 12,229
Kenya 14,258 15,444 17,023 18,293 17,862
More wvorr iugly ',tll. ,av,dihility of Soutt(' Eu:o'tot
Eurofruit Magazinie Septembe 1993
23.