At IFPA’s Global Produce and Floral Show 2023 in Anaheim California, the fresh produce industry gathered to network, learn, inspire and to discuss the state of the fresh produce industry. Globally, the industry faces many challenges at present as weather extremes, geopolitical tensions and the ever-decreasing and more expensive workforce is affecting players along the fresh produce supply chain. Luckily, with the numerous technological innovations and exciting new products being developed, the future remains full of opportunities for the fresh produce industry.
Navigating between greater uncertainty and higher quality
Weather extremes are the talk of the town
The many weather extremes affecting supplies and prices around the world, were one of the main topics of discussion at the IFPA2023 (International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show 2023), held in October 2023 in California. Some of the many fruits impacted by recent weather disruptions are blueberries, table grapes, and stone fruit. While visitors of the show were offered a range of the finest berries, blueberries were absent in many US supermarkets during the month of October. After years of growth, Peru’s shipments have declined significantly in the marketing year 2023/24 due to a warm winter that negatively impacted yields. While this is one of the many outcomes of El Niño, in the longer run, the industry expects continuing growth in blueberry exports.
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