Africa’s share of the European avocado market fell from 27% to 18% between 2014 and 2017, according to FreshFruitPortal, citing data from Eurostat. While African avocado exports to the EU actually rose by about 5% over this period, from 82,000 to 86,000 tonnes, this increase is marginal compared to the 59% leap in avocado imports to the EU between 2014 and 2017 (from 305,000 to 486,000 tonnes).
According to the European Commission, third countries that export animals and animal products to the European Union will have to abide by new rules on veterinary medicines when it comes to the use of antibiotics. But non-EU countries warn that this could break WTO rules as well as have severe implications on global trade.
Mr. Denys Gauer,the French Ambassador to Nigeria, has high hopes that France through its Development Agency will explore areas of collaboration with Nigeria through Contec Global Agro limited (CGAL), a subsidiary of Contec Global for the development of organic agriculture production.
The ‘Destination chocolatiers engagés’ label, aimed at sharing with Cameroonian cocoa producers the expertise of French master chocolate makers to help them to produce high quality cocoa, was launched on 26 June 2018 in Paris by the President of the French Confederation of Chocolate Makers and Confectioners, Frédéric Chambeau, and the President of the Cocoa and Coffee Inter-professional Council (CICC), Appolinaire Ngwé.
The €35 million programme dubbed Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) is funded by the EU as part of the 11th European Development Fund. The programme will be implemented over a four-year period under overall supervision from the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat. Two of the most important technical implementation partners are the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Increasing agricultural production by smallholder farmers, boosting agricultural value chains to revitalize the agricultural economic sector, providing technical support and investment to Liberia’s emerging agro-enterprises, and increasing the utilization of nutritious food by vulnerable households; these are just some of the key objectives of a major new European Union funded project which focuses on stimulating the Agriculture Sector across seven counties of Liberia over the next five years.
With an agri-food trade value of €255 billion in 2017, the EU confirms for yet another year its position as largest global exporter and importer of agri-food products. EU exports of agri-food products reached €138 billion in 2017, representing an annual increase of 5.1%. With imports at a value of €117 billion, the EU has a net trade surplus of €21 billion in its agri-food trade, according to the 2017 annual agri-food trade report published today.
Since 2013, fairtrade organizes agrofood & plastprintpack West Africa in Accra, Ghana. At the request of exhibitors and international associations, the 5th agrofood & plastprintpack West Africa will now for the first time be held in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast. The event is due on 20 to 22 November 2018 at the Radisson Blu Hotel Abidjan Airport. “After discussions with exhibitors and international associations we decided to bring the 5th agrofood & plastprintpack West Africa to Abidjan”, says Martin März, founder & managing partner at fairtrade.
African Farming, with endorsement from the Federal Government of Nigeria, is all set to organise the African Farming’s Agroinvestment Summit at the Tower Hotel London from 4 -5 June 2018, focusing on the growth of agriculture and agribusinesses across West Africa. Specifically designed to embrace a wide range of stakeholders like government officials, importers, distributors, agribusiness owners, C-level executives from food companies, trade union members and manufacturers and suppliers of agricultural equipment, machinery and services, the summit will create a cohesive platform for trade and investment opportunities for investors and buyers around the globe.