Frutas de Chile had a notable participation at the “International Fruit Expo” (IFE), held between September 1 and 3 in Guangzhou, China. The president of ASOEX, Iván Marambio, was the only representative of an international country, in charge of opening the 2023 version of this event, with an inaugural speech where he highlighted the good and long-standing bilateral relations that exist between China and Chile in the trade of fresh fruits.
«The Chinese fruit industry represents more than 1 trillion RMB in transactions, with strong growth in terms of import, production and export. Currently, the 3 most imported fruits by China are durian, cherries and kiwi, of which Chile is a major supplier of two of them. Our industry is committed to the development of the Chinese market and, despite the challenges we face, we are optimistic about the next season of Chilean fruit, as well as about the reception of it by Chinese consumers, a population with which we have many years of friendship», Ivan Marambio pointed out.
He added: “Chile not only grows and produces high-quality fruit, but we have also partnered with trusted importers, distributors and retailers in China, with whom we work together to facilitate the growth of consumer demand through continuous promotional campaigns. We are committed to making resources available to the industry and to transfer knowledge and good practices. For example, through the organization of workshops to develop new regional markets and exchange views, as is the case of the Wuhan Wholesale Market. In addition, we invest in the development of information material, such as the ´Cherry Trade Statistic´ and, soon, the ´Guide to Good Practices for Cherries´. In this context, we are sure that the next few days at IFE will inspire ideas and debates around the ways in which together we can positively develop the Chinese fruit industry.” he assured in his opening remarks.
But the importance of Frutas de Chile at this event was not limited to the opening speech, as the inauguration of the “Fruits From Chile” stand was attended by the president of the CFNA and the CFMA, as well as the top representatives of the Guangzhou JNH Wholesale Market and the Jiaxing Wholesale Market, and members of the Chilean Embassy in China.
Also, during the second day of participation, the ASOEX Cherry Committee held a workshop, where it officially launched the promotional actions for Chilean cherries for the upcoming 2023-2024 season. Nearly 200 importers, distributors and retailers participated in this workshop.
It should be noted that the national delegation at IFE was also made up of Claudia Soler, executive director of the Asoex Cherry Committee; Andrés Armstrong, executive director of the Asoex Blueberry Committee; Carlos Cruzat, president of the Kiwi Committee; Monserrat Valenzuela, manager of the Citrus Committee of Asoex; Ignacio Caballero, marketing director of Asoex, and Charif Christian Carvajal, marketing director of Asoex for Asia and Europe. Also, 15 Chilean fruit exporting companies participated in the event with ASOEX, which when consulted indicated that: "The fair not only met their expectations but was much more than they expected."
The national delegation closed its activities within the framework of IFE with a visit to the Guangzhou JNH Wholesale Market, where, in addition to touring the facilities related to the reception and storage of fruit, it met with executives to discuss various joint actions.
The 2023 edition of IFE brought together more than 20 countries from various latitudes of the world, more than 140 leaders, and more than 10,000 representatives of the national and regional fruit trade in China, with an exhibition center of more than 23,000 square meters.
The event is organized by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Food, Indigenous Products and Animal By-Products (CFNA), the largest industrial association in the field of import and export of food and agricultural products in China, and the China Fruit Marketing Association (CFMA), a non-profit corporation that integrates companies dedicated to the production, circulation, processing and storage of fruit, specialized fruit cooperatives, local associations, research institutes and other relevant companies serving the fruit industry.
