Newark, Del. — In keeping with helping industry grow stronger and more innovative, Produce Marketing Association (PMA) posted expert presentations given at the PMA Fresh Connections: Chile event April 17 in Santiago, Chile. The presentations cover global retail and consumer trends, market overviews, food safety, local production and logistics and imports. In attendance were 340 industry professionals from all over the international market place including Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and the U.S.
PMA members curious about opportunities and strategies to grow business in South America’s emerging markets can find select presentations online at PMA.com including:
- Brief Overview of World Retail Analysis. Gustavo Yentzen, founder of Portalfruticola.com, discusses world retail trends over the last 30 years, the evolution of global retailing, and its effect on sourcing.
- The Wal-Mart Global Sourcing Strategy. Gary Hahn, South America Wal-Mart senior sourcing director, discusses regional operations and making business less transactional, more relationship based.
- The New Opportunities in the Brazil Market. Leonardo Miyao, Pao de Acucar perishables commercial director, shares how to harness opportunities of Brazil, South America’s largest and fastest changing consumer market.
- How the new FSMA Regulations Will Impact the Supply Chain. Johnna Hepner, PMA director food safety & technology, discusses how the Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rules could affect the Central American market and potentially Chile’s produce growers and exporters.
- The Impact of Climate Change in the Latin America Agriculture. Fernando Santibañez, University of Chile professor of bioclimatology, translates research about the impact of climate change in Chile, and changing harvest areas including new production opportunities regarding wine and apples.
- Robotics and Mechanization to Tackle Cost Increases. Javier Ruiz-del-Solar, executive director Advanced Mining Technology Center, examines tools available to growers and shippers to reduce cost and increase productivity and the applications of robotics within the produce industry.
A look at Chile reveals strong institutions, a stable macroeconomic environment and transparent regulations, which make it Latin America’s most competitive economy. Permanent efforts to reduce red tape, relatively low corporate tax rates and rising labor productivity also increase the ease of doing business in the country. In fact, according to the Ease of Doing Business 2012 report, Chile regained its place as the easiest country to do business in the Latin America and Caribbean region.
Fresh Connections: Chile and all PMA Fresh Connections events are designed to help industry professionals stay current on a range of industry and business topics and network with the global produce community – right in their own backyard. Upcoming events include Fresh Connections: Mexico on May 16-17 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Fresh Connections: Retail being on June 11-12 in San Diego, Calif. USA. For more information and to register, visit PMA’s events page. To learn about the many benefits of PMA membership, visit PMA.com.
About Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
Produce Marketing Association is the leading trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing business solutions that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. For more information, visit www.pma.com.
Source: Produce Marketing Association
