PFID News

PFID-F&V Goes to the Produce Marketing Association’s

“FRESH SUMMIT 2005”

With the current CAFTA agreement signed by Nicaragua come many new opportunities to link advantageously with the supply chain of fruit and vegetables in North America.  Commodity vegetables such as tropical roots, plantains, okra, onions, and hard squash offer strong growth potential for years to come.  Nevertheless, the real challenge for the producers of fruit and vegetables in Nicaragua involves building product value, while taking advantage of the unique vegetable production business and its attributes such as climate, labor , tropical products and water.

In response to this challenge, Michigan State University’s Partnership for Food Industry Development, Fruit and Vegetables (PFID F&V) undertook a very innovative step in introducing and exposing Nicaragua vegetable business leaders and specialists to the future opportunities in the global produce market.  In collaboration with the USAID Mission from Nicaragua and the INCAE Business School a practical three part development program had been designed to provide:

•  Supply chain insights and management tools for export businesses of fruit and vegetables;
•  The introduction and connection with potential customers in North America and  exposure to their competitive set;
• Full exposure to the supply chain for fruit and vegetables from grower to exporter, importer, distributor, supermarkets, foodservices and ultimately to sales to the consumer of this fresh, perishable product.

As part of PFID’s “hands-on” approach to capacity building, participants and other Partners from Nicaragua, Guatemala, Botswana and Zambia  traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to attend a special management training program under leadership of Dr. Felipe Perez, INCAE, with special focus on the concepts of Value Chain/ Supply Chain, standards and regulations, and profiling participants’ companies.  Participants then went on to attend the Produce  Marketing Association “Fresh Summit 2005” convention, and a number of participants when on to Miami, Florida for a Port visit involving USDA inspection and other services impacting the import of produce.  Stay tuned for a more complete special feature article on this event in the coming weeks.

PFID participants from Central America and Zambia wait for colleagues at the designated meeting place.

Bill Gerlach, Sales Specialist, Melissas World Variety Produce, and Advisory Council member, PFID-F&V discusses products with Nicaraguan participants.

After the PMA meeting in Atlanta, PFID Nicaraguan participants went on to visit brokers and Port authorities in Miami.

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