Posted on

BAMA going greener on banana imports

The Norwegian market leader for sales of fresh fruit, vegetables, berries and potatoes, BAMA, JB, Group (BAMA Gruppen AS) is actively promoting the Norwegian potato and on bananas moving to more environmentally-friendly transport.

The banana and the potato are respectively the fruit and vegetable that BAMA Group sells the most of. Here, in the second part of our latest coverage of BAMA, we look at what the Oslo-based trading group is doing in regard to these high volume products.

Promoting the Norwegian potato

One of the largest projects in 2014 for BAMA Industry was the expansion of BAMA’s potato production site in Rygge, which was set to double its production capacity via an increase in area to 5,200 m2 by August 2015. BAMA is adopting a major focus on product and variant development and new technology to further promote the Norwegian potato.

Asked why BAMA had made this a priority, BAMA Group CEO Rune Flaen told ED that: “Potatoes are the largest product group volume-wise and an important category for BAMA, and they are a healthy product. Our strategy is to increase consumption, especially through product development (processed potatoes), new varieties and by inspiring consumers by marketing tasty ways of preparing potatoes.”

In its 2014 annual report, BAMA said one of BAMA Industry’s most exciting innovations last year was the a range of sous-vide potato products which helped boost potatoes sales.

Bananas: ad campaign brings 6% volume growth

The average Norwegian eats 16.5 kgs of bananas each year, making the banana is the most popular fruit in Norway and BAMA’s largest fruit category, representing 25% of its total fruit volume. In 2014, BAMA ran an ad campaigns that included TV spots with simple messages and information promoting bananas’ health benefits and versatility with a volume increase of 6% the result.

Bananas: Increases in sales on previous year
2014: Volume 6%, value 12%
2013: Volume 7%, value 8%

BAMA achieved this growth despite a tough year “reflected in more unstable international container traffic, with slower transports due to route changes, problems with profitability and stricter controls at EU borders.” The situation created “challenges in getting ­bananas ripened on time, and our ripeners have performed an incredible job every single day to ensure that bananas are shipped out the right colour,” BAMA said in its annual report.

Move to more rail transport

All BAMA’S bananas are imported from South American countries and BAMA says that together with its suppliers, it is taking responsibility for ensuring its production occurs in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable way possible. “All our suppliers are obliged to comply with international GLOBALG.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices) standards for sustainability and food safety within farming and production,” it said in the report.

It has always transported bananas from South America to Europe by ship, a journey of about nine days. “For many years bananas were transported in container ships to Europe, and freighted onwards by lorry to Norway. In 2009 we changed our transport policy so that the containers were freighted by ship all the way to Norway. Lorries are only used from the harbour in Oslo to our ripening plant. The switch reduced CO2 emissions equivalent to the average annual emissions of 16,800 private vehicles.”

“Rail transport is generally held to be the most environmentally friendly way to transport goods. Our target is for 50% of our incoming transport to be made via inter-modal solutions by 2020. Today this figure is around 12%. When the bananas are ripe and ready to be transported to various parts of Norway, they are increasingly conveyed by rail. In 2014 more than half of our freight was transported to Northern Norway by train. In Costa Rica around 40% of the bananas that Dole produces are transported by train. This form of transport is estimated to be 35% more efficient than road transport,” BAMA said.

Success with ready-to-eat avocados and mangoes

BAMA started offering avocado and mango in 2005 and these products have been a huge hit with its consumers in Norway, where annual per capita consumption greatly outstrips that in the Netherlands and Germany, for instance. BAMA’s avocado sales have increased 400% in volume since then and those of mangos by 600%.
It began offering ready-to-eat avocados and mangoes in 2008, with similar success. Its sales of ready-to-eat avocadoes reached just over 6,000 tons last year, up 170% in 6 years. “Nature’s Pride, our supplier, has been the key to this ripening success,” Flaen said. The Dutch company’s new terminal in Rotterdam is home to nearly 50 ripening sheds, ensuring “the avocados that arrive in Norway have just the right tenderness and appeal.”

sources: BAMA Group 2014 annual report information and phone interview with BAMA Group CEO Rune Flaen

Read part 1: Fresh cuts and berries among priorities for BAMA

 

Posted on

Late burst boosts NEPG crop forecast

The estimate for the NEPG (North Western European Potato Growers) crop has been raised by 300,000 tons on that of early October and now stands at nearly 25.16 million tons of consumption potatoes.

The estimate for the NEPG (North Western European Potato Growers) crop has been raised by 300,000 tons on that of early October and now stands at nearly 25.16 million tons of consumption potatoes. According to the NEPG, this reflects good growing conditions at the end of the season in fields that were not haulm killed or harvested. The Belgian crop in particular benefited from the last growth, mainly for varieties other than Bintje. Belgium now estimates its average yield at 51.2 to/ha compared with 47 to/ha at October 1 (brut, ex field).

At time of writing, the new French, British, German and Dutch figures were still two weeks away. Once received, the final NEPG harvest figures will be published. However, production is lower than last season and slightly under the 5-year average. The NEPG reported enormous differences in quality and quantity by area and variety throughout the NEPG countries, and said 2015 has been one of the latest harvest years, according to those countries. There was some concern among growers about the cooling down of the potatoes in the stores, given abnormally high outside temperatures in the NEPG, however the quality in store is good overall, it said.

Export opportunities

Along with the ongoing increase in demand from processors, the export market for fresh potatoes could provide a boost for the upcoming season. Compared with last season, overall the EU has harvested 8 million tons less, so demand can be expected to become more acute in the following weeks or months. As the Bintje tubers are smaller and the dry matter is lower than average, the processing industry will need more raw material to produce the same quantity of finished products, the NEPG said.

The extremely low Euro has increased export opportunities for European processors, but as the North American crop was higher than last year, more worldwide competition is expected. As this year’s potato prices are more attractive than last year, the NEPG is watching for the effect on the market if sugar beet growers decide to plant more potatoes next spring. More plantings have to be based upon specific market demand and an reasonable return of investment, it said. A second update on the 2015 potato harvest was due in early December.

Posted on

NEPG cautiously optimistic about coming potato season

Overall, growers in the NEPG are cautiously optimistic about the coming season. Thanks to increasing exports outside the EU, and increased need for raw material due to low dry matter contents in some of the mainland countries’ crops, demand from mainland processors is expected to be firm

A total of 24.8 million tons of potatoes (excluding seed and starch) was the harvest forecast for the NEPG (NorthWestern European Potato Growers) as at October 5.

Based on the latest trial digs and harvest information, this estimate was 300,000 tons higher than that made on September 1, but would come in at 13% less than last year and 1.6% below the 5-year average, according to a recent summary by the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) potato market analyst Arthur Marshall. However, he said, there are concerns in the NEPG over the quality of supplies in store in some countries.

In his report, published by the NEPG on October 30, Marshall said the harvest has begun to move on rapidly in many areas due to the good conditions, but less favourable weather earlier this year means the harvest will be later compared to other years. Just under half of the area across the NEPG was still to harvest at the start of October.

“The NEPG is a large area with a lot of variation in conditions. Whereas in the south of Germany it has been, at times, too dry to harvest, wet conditions have held up lifting in the north of Germany, parts of Belgium and the Netherlands, and GB (Great Britain). Due to heavy rainfall in September, there were reports of rot in parts of the NEPG and dry matter contents in some areas are low, but overall, quality is good. Despite earlier fears in some areas, secondary growth is generally under control, though there are a few cases. However, the wet conditions in many areas create some risks for the crop going into store, especially where rot has already been reported.

“The NEPG believes that the quality of supplies available in the coming season will depend greatly on the conditions of crops in store. If conditions in store are especially poor in some areas, this could make markets in some mainland NEPG countries tighter than the production figure alone suggests,” he said.

Market and crop update

Marshall said that, overall, growers in the NEPG are cautiously optimistic about the coming season. Thanks to increasing exports outside the EU, and increased need for raw material due to low dry matter contents in some of the mainland countries’ crops, demand from mainland processors is expected to be firm.

“Also, fresh potato exports from NEPG countries to elsewhere in Europe could meet good demand, with harvests in many countries likely to be lower year-on-year,” he said. As an example, he said CePa, Italy’s Potato Documentation Centre), estimates a 2015 crop of 1.1-1.2 million tons, down about 15% on last year.

Processing prices

Processing potato prices in the NEPG have generally begun to stabilise into October, following price declines earlier as harvest progressed. Generally, price quotes for France and Belgium for Bintje (the middle-early ripening potato variety) have been below quotes for other processing varieties, which Marshall said is likely to be a factor in the ongoing processing variety switch in many mainland NEPG countries from traditional Bintje to newer, higher yielding, alternatives such as Fontane, Markies and Agria.

The Netherlands: in some areas the harvest has been beset by delays and problems with rot. The rot in the field is now said to be under control but growers are monitoring rot in store carefully, Marshall said. Up to 30% of crops were still to be harvested by the final week in October, with some growers on lighter soils waiting for orders for ex-field delivery before lifting. “Processing usage so far this season has been lower than in 2014 and 2013, but this could be supply or demand driven, while Phaff Export Marketing reports that seed exporters believe there are good export opportunities,” he said.

Belgium: lifting was also behind schedule, with 10-20% still to lift in the last week of October. Bintje has sometimes had to be offered up rapidly due to quality concerns. A big fire in early October in a Clarebout factory, which is not expected to be ready again until January, was also of concern to some growers.

France: has begun importing some potatoes from the UK, in line with usual levels for the time of year. The French harvest was about 95% complete by the last week of October, with light harvest pressure still remaining on prices. Usage for processing in July-September was down 31,000 tons year-on-year, although still slightly above that for the same months in 2013. Export demand from southern Europe, such as Italy, has been good.

Germany: exports into Italy have also been reported, as well as to nearby export markets such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Denmark. Only 10-15% of crops were yet to be harvested in late October, with yields proving to be good. Indeed, output in the largest potato growing region, Lower Saxony, is up from last season at about 1.7Mt, but export opportunities are expected to play a significant role there this season.

The next NEPG 2015 crop estimate is expected in late November.

source: AHDB Potatoes business report for Northern Europe

Posted on

French potato delegation to showcase high quality products at WOP trade show 2015

The French Potato Delegation, FEDEPOM, will attend the WOP 2015-World of Perishables in presence of six diversified companies to showcase high quality of farm products to the local market. The French Federation of potato Packers and Traders will have a stand on the exhibition and will be located Stand E10 – Hall 3 at the Dubai World Trade Centre from the 5th to the 7th of October 2015.

The French Potato Delegation, FEDEPOM, will attend the WOP 2015-World of Perishables in presence of six diversified companies to showcase high quality of farm products to the local market. The French Federation of potato Packers and Traders will have a stand on the exhibition and will be located Stand E10 – Hall 3 at the Dubai World Trade Centre from this October 5-7.

FEDEPOM is the Federation of French potatoes traders, with over 70 members, representing over 80% of market players in France. This year, and for the first time, FEDEPOM will present six companies to introduce to the UAE and the Middle East market the French diversity of potato varieties such as: Agatha, Anabelle, Melody, Caesar, Mozart, Franceline, Charlotte, Bintje, Vitelotte, Ratte. UAE companies could avail of this opportunity to enter into new business partnerships.

France is one of the biggest producers of potatoes in the world, with a farmland of 120,000 ha, and a production between 5 and 6 millions of tons last year. The potato is also very important in the history of France. Indeed, the French pharmacist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who recognised the nutritional values of the potato, promoted its human consumption and production in France. Dr Parmentier’s crowning glory was when his recipe “hachis Parmentier” was served to Louis XVI and the Queen of France – Marie-Antoinette – in 1785.

FEDEPOM will be located at the following stand: SE10 – Hall3 – WOP 2015- DWTC.

Posted on

Standards for kiwifruit, ware potatoes, garlic and aubergines on agenda for Codex meeting next month

Draft standards for aubergines, garlic, kiwifruit and ware potatoes are on the agenda at the 19th session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Guerrero, Mexico, October 5–9.

Draft standards for aubergines, garlic, kiwifruit and ware potatoes are on the agenda at the 19th session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Guerrero, Mexico, October 5–9.

And a Codex standard for shallots is also up for discussion at the meeting. That standard has been proposed by Indonesia, which says that, based on FAO data, world production on shallots and onions increased 2.7% per year over 1980-2011.

Read more about the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in our article on its 18th session, held in Thailand in February last year.

image source: “Proposals for new work on fresh fruits and vegetables

 

Posted on

New bid to keep food out of bins

17977443109_419a4a8acf_o

Potatoes, then bread and milk, are the UK’s most wasted foods, a new study by the retailer Sainsbury’s shows.

In the case of the spud, it’s estimated that around 733,000 tons are thrown out each year in the UK.

The research has been released by Sainsbury’s to launch its Food Rescue waste campaign. Among other things, the campaign provides recipes and handy tips to help people reduce their food waste.

The tips include:

  • Store potatoes in the cupboard rather than the fridge.
  • Keep all fruit in the fridge except pineapples and bananas, which are happier in the fruit bowl.
  • Keep leftover salad in a bowl and add a sheet of kitchen roll before topping with cling film.

 

source: http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/media/latest-stories/2015/0617-the-true-cost-of-food-waste-brits-bin-thousands-of-nutrients-every-day/

Posted on

Why and how the Chinese plan to eat more potatoes

China’s bid to make potatoes the country’s fourth most important staple crop – after rice, wheat and corn – is motivated by food security and sustainability concerns, explains Euromonitor International.

China’s bid to make potatoes the country’s fourth most important staple crop – after rice, wheat and corn – is motivated by food security and sustainability concerns, explains Euromonitor International in an article by contributing analyst Simone Baroke.

China is already the world’s biggest market for fresh potatoes. The London-based market-research firm’s data shows that with a volume of 39 million tons last year, it accounted for 23% of total global potato consumption.

But, explains Baroke, the Chinese Government “has decided that its people need to eat more potatoes in order ease pressure on the country’s scarce agricultural resources.” According to the article, by 2020 the area allotted to potato cultivation in China will be doubled to 10 million ha (100,000 km2).

“The data also show that on the whole fresh potatoes are not doing too badly in China. In 2014 they achieved volume gains of almost 6%, double the rate registered by overall starchy roots in the country. Sweet potatoes, the next most “dynamic” type of starchy root, mustered a sluggish 1%,” Baroke said.

Chinese Government efforts to enthuse consumers about potatoes include messages about their nutritional value on Weibo (China’s equivalent of Twitter), and the sharing of recipes and promotion of discussion of potatoes’ merits as an ingredient in various dishes.

Read the Euromonitor International article here.

 

 

Posted on

Fresh Potato Imports Jump Up 28% in Japan, USDA Reports

640px-McDonalds-French-Fries-Plate

Imports of fresh potatoes shot up by 28% last year in Japan, according to a new report by the USDA’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN).

That’s largely thanks to Japan’s own potato production slipping 3.5% in 2013 while Japense consumers increased their appetite for potato chips.

Aggressive and strategic marketing by the US potato sector has been key to spurring demand in growth sectors, GAIN said.

See its full report here.

 

pic: “McDonalds-French-Fries-Plate” by Evan-Amos