Exporters in Latin America and the Caribbean will meet with international buyers from October 8th to 10th in Mexico, in the city of Mérida.
From a statement issued by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB):
Hundreds of agro food companies in Latin America and the Caribbean will meet with buyers from around the world at the LACFlavors event, which will be held in the Mexican city of Merida from 8 to 10 October at the Hotel Fiesta Americana & Hotel Hyatt Merida.
The economic dependence on tourism in Aruba and services in Curacao represents an opportunity for the export of agricultural products and the food industry.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (Procomer):
San Jose, September 23, 2014. An economy dependent on tourism in the Caribbean island of Aruba and focused on providing services such as that in Curacao, represent opportunities for Costa Rican (and other Central American countries) to export more products from the agriculture and food industry; so says a recent report entitled "Analysis of food industry in the markets of Aruba and Curacao", prepared by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).
The consumption of food products certified as Fairtrade is maintaining its upward trend, especially in developed markets such as Europe and North America.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (Procomer):
Reyka Fick, communicator at the firm Fairtrade International, said that in the last year Fairtrade certified products grew internationally and even grew in markets such as South Africa, Kenya and India."In terms of a marketing approach, a central part of the strategy followed in producing countries (such as those previously mentioned) is to support the domestic market," said Fick.
On August 22nd the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will host a free webinar on the proposed new regulatory framework and standards of food safety.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (Procomer):
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will be conducting a webinar (online seminar) for free and in English, with emphasis on information of interest to small businesses on Friday 22 August.
Starting August 5, 2014, any food product which is labeled on or after this date with a caption describing it as gluten free must comply with the requirements.
From a statement issued by the U.S.Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
In August 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a final rule defining the characteristics required of a food carrying a label stating that it is "gluten free".
The Russian ban for one year on imports of meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables from the European Union and the United States could open the door for Central American products.
Central American food exporters could take up the opportunity to enter a market in which every year "... spends about $2.7 billion on fruits and vegetables from Europe and ... $1.3 billion in food and agricultural products ifrom the USA."
Analysis of supply chains, major players, consumer trends, and major requirements for the entry of food products into the Guatemalan market.
From the introduction of a report by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office :
Guatemala is the sixth destination for Costa Rican exports and second in the Central American region. Total trade in this market has grown by 8.2% in the last decade, going from 411.1 million in 2003 to 836,700,000 in 2013.
The Federal Office of Agriculture has banned the use of the ripening accelerator ethephon in foods sold in the country.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The Federal Office for Agriculture in Switzerland has banned the use of the ripening accelerator ethephon because in 2013 they found tomatoes with traces of this chemical.
The Costa Rican Chamber of the Food Industry has reiterated the existence of problems in importing, exporting or launching new products, and with the financial controls at points of sale.
Managers of the business association pointed to "... lack of vision and political will in some public institutions such as the Ministry of Health."
Sales in the food sector to Mexico declined by $55 million between 2012 and 2013, while total exports fell by 22.9% in the same period.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rica-Mexico Chamber of Industry and Trade:
San José, Costa Rica. Mexican investment in Costa Rica amounts to over $1.5 billion, while 33 companies from that country generate 19,676 direct jobs in Mexico, according to an economic study by the Costa Rica-Mexico Chamber of Industry and Trade (CICOMEX) .
While some studies question the real benefits of a gluten free diet, overall retail sales have doubled since 2007, reaching $2.1 billion in 2013.
Responding to a consumer trend towards products considered natural and healthier the food industry has increased production of these products in order to take advantage of the growing market niche.
"Global retail sales of products specifically formulated to be gluten free have nearly doubled since 2007, reaching $2.1 billion last year, according to Euromonitor International. In Latin America, they grew by 6.3% between 2012 and 2013 to $94.8 million. The market research company projects that sales in this category of products in the region will amount to $127.3 million by 2018. "
Including information on food labels relating to "added sugars", updating serving sizes and calories are some of the changes proposed.
From a statement issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is proposing an update to the Nutrition Facts labels used on most packaged food in the United States. If the proposal goes through, the following will be some of the proposed changes.
Indians preferences in consumption are starting to change as the purchasing power of the middle class grows.
From a press release issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The retail market in India presents opportunities for the food trade, due to the increase in disposable income of an emerging middle class population of over one billion people, growing urbanization and higher aspirations, especially among the younger generation, who have become a conduit for the market.
Processes that should take a few minutes actually take over two months which means a loss in competitiveness for the sector, slowing trading and paralyzing the export sector.
From a press release issued by the Costa Rican Chamber of the Food Industry (CACIA):
Food Industrialists are asking for Presidential intervention in light of the crisis caused by slow food registrations