Central American countries face the challenge of improving their production techniques in order to increase quality and take advantage of the opportunity that exists in the European market.
Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that"...According to the most recent European statistics of 2015, the consumption of organic products in the European Union (EU) was 28.3 billion euros in that year. 70% of this expenditure came from four countries: Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. However, those adding the most of these types of products into their shopping baskets are the Danish (8.4% of their purchases), Austrians (8%) and Swedes (7.7%), according to data from the same year.
As part of a strategy to position internationally cocoa produced in Guatemala the regional union of producers are working on a seal of origin and traceability.
The initiative by the Mesoamerican Organization of Cocoa and Fine Chocolate (Amacacao) is to create a mechanism to certify the origin, quality and traceability of the final product, in order to increase international positioning and increase exports.
The high demands for quality standards, traceability and safety constitute a barrier to making the most out of the Agreement.
In the view of representatives from the Nicaraguan export sector, it has not been possible to make the most out of the association agreement with the European Union in its first two years, due to, among other things, unfavorable international prices, as has been the case of products such as sugar, coffee , cocoa, oil and alcohol.
When selecting products UK consumers pay more attention to taste, freshness, traceability and packaging rather than the price factor.
From a statement from the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
Buyers' needs are changing in the UK and a representative of the supermarket giant Tesco believes that retailers must understand the new opportunities that this implies.
Videoconferencing on Friday March 7, 2014 on the "Proposed FDA regulations on the deliberate adulteration of food and on sanitary transportation".
In order to facilitate awareness in government officials, the Guatemalan private sector and technical staff at the Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), about the promulgation of the new FDA regulations, the IICAA together with the Agricultural Sector at AGEXPORT will hold on Friday 7 March 2014, a video conference entitled "Proposed FDA regulations on the deliberate adulteration of food and sanitary transportation.
In the Netherlands new labeling will give information on the geographical origin of perishable goods and the conditions under which it has been handled, stored and transported.
From an article by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
A new sensor based label will allow, among other benefits, reduction of the risk of pesticide residues found in fruits and vegetables.
In order to export food to the EU companies must establish efficient processes for traceability, product withdrawal and recovery.
This was explained Valentin Diaz, a specialist from the European Union in Nicaragua who gave a workshop entitled "Trainer of trainers in traceability, withdrawal and recall of products, aimed at the food industry."
A voluntary agreement is already underway with the European Union to reduce trade in timber goods made from illegal logging.
The first round of negotiations have been conducted on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU, and the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) in order to reduce trade in manufactured goods made from illegal timber logging.
The Central American Federation for the Beef Industry is promoting the creation of traceability protocols that would allow them to export meat to the EU.
Regional leaders in the cattle industry and beef marketers "came together to promote the creation of a traceability protocol that would allow them to export meat to the EU."
Christopher Navas, president of the Federation, said: "We met to discuss the problem of the meat sector in Central America, seeing as the agreement for a free association with the European community has been signed, and that gives countries in the region the right to export a quota of meat. However, to do this we have to meet certain requirements. "
Melons imported from Guatemala carry a HarvestMark seal which allows consumers to check on the web their origin and cultivation history.
A statement from the Trade Office of Costa Rica reads:
The import company SunAmerica has added a HarvestMark seal to melons supplied by Guatemalan farmers. These are the first Central American melons to use a leading global traceability system, which consist of a label on the product which has a code that the consumer can enter in the HarvestMark website and find out, through videos and photos, on which farm the melon was grown, the farmer who grew it and the whole story behind the product.
Traceability applied to the fruit and vegetable sector refers to the identification and control of the whole process to which fruit and vegetable are subjected to from their collection in the field to its destination on sale.
Traceability horticulture and fruit production allows a reconstruction of the entire history of fresh produce to be documented, increasing its added value, adjusting to the demands and standards of the major international markets including the European Union.
Lack of livestock traceability is preventing access of meat to the European market, for which there is a quota of 9,000 tons.
The biggest challenge facing the region is to meet the health, environmental and competitiveness standards demanded by those markets, said Alexander Acosta, from the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
NSF International, The Public Health and Safety Company™, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, is the world leader in standards development, product certification, education, and risk-management for public health and safety.
Organization that operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama
Phone: (506 ) 2248 0263 - (506) 2248 0259
The latest in packaging and processing will be showcased at EXPO PACK Mexico 2010 and PROCESA 2010, to take place in Mexico from June 22 to 25.
The two simultaneous events will be attended by 25,000 buyers from over 25 countries, as well as packaging professionals from all major Mexican States, and delegations from Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Honduras.