greenhouses I shade net I hydroponics I aquaponics
The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) was founded in the early 1990’s from the leading trade organisations from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and Uruguay.
New Initiatives in Southern
Hemisphere Fruit Exports
T
he idea was to form a common presidency led by Mr. Charif Christian Carvajal M. from the Chilean Fruit platform for exchange on Exporters Association (ASOEX) and the most crucial market Ms. Marta Bentancur from Upefruy access matters in Northern Uruguay, the organisation is focusing Hemisphere markets, including on strengthening resource availability, phytosanitary protocols, food safety, creating a supportive consumption, and environment for trade trends. With the digital era formation of fruit In its more than 30 kicking in its members trade professionals, years of existence, developed a strategic plan developing closer SHAFFE has of action with the objective collaborations with undertaken important of connecting the Southern other similar industry initiatives, such as bodies, modernizing Hemisphere’s fresh setting up data-sharing information sharing, on key crops, organize fruit industry through and communicating the global membership knowledge-sharing, role and contribution forums, develop joint of SHAFFE to the facilitating market access research initiatives, global produce trade. and promoting global analyse and monitor With the objective fruit trade. policy changes in global of bringing Southern markets as well as Hemisphere and provided important exchange and learning Northern Hemisphere industries closer opportunities amongst its members. together in a period of limited travel With the digital era kicking in its members and to allow better planning for the upcoming year, SHAFFE kicked off 2021 developed a strategic plan of action with with its very first “Southern Hemisphere the objective of connecting the Southern Fresh Fruit Trade Congress” under the Hemisphere’s fresh fruit industry through defining theme “Keeping the world knowledge-sharing, facilitating market supplied” in the last week of March access and promoting global fruit trade. 2021. With a renewed Secretariat and a new
8 Undercover farming I May/June 2021 I Volume 18 No 3
John Giles of Promar International Ltd, who has years-long experience in cooperating with trade associations, attended the conference and chronicles the strategic evolution of the organisation. “SHAFFE is in many ways a remarkable organisation. Together, the countries involved account for around 11 million tonnes of fruit exports, worth some US$14 billion and which account for about 25% of world trade. SHAFFE’s first online congress bought together over 326 delegates from around the world. What struck me, in particular, was how much these countries have in common, despite to some extent all being in competition with each other,”said Giles. Among the challenges they all have to overcome the next few years — as well as the opportunities they have to take advantage of — include the following: • Fruit consumption in many parts of the world is still below the recommended levels as set by the WHO. • Considerable disruption to international trade caused by the COVID pandemic 9
