Increasing sales of edible plants demand dedicated certificate

Italian growers interested in MPS-Fruit & Vegetables label

The market for edible plants is booming. Food safety rules also apply to trees that produce edible fruit and this safety must be ensured. This is why certification organisation MPS organised a very well-attended informational meeting in Italy. The meeting highlighted the opportunities that MPS-Fruit & Vegetables offers to growers. During the meeting, six Italian growers signed up to start working towards earning the MPS-Fruit & Vegetables certificate.

The sale of plants used to grow edible produce, such as citrus fruits, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs, has increased exponentially. “It’s not just consumers, but sales outlets as well, such as supermarkets and DIY stores, who are increasingly demanding hard guarantees about the food safety of this relatively new product group,” says Gerrit Jan Vreugdenhil, Fruit & Vegetables Manager at MPS. “The growers who are now starting with MPS-Fruit & Vegetables started with MPS-ABC six months ago, which is a requirement. MPS Fruit & Vegetables offers customers certainty that edible plants meet strict food safety requirements.” The meeting at the Radice Pura Congress Centre in Giarre (Sicily) was intended to draw growers’ attention to the growing interest in food safety and the opportunities that using the MPS Fruit & Vegetables label offers them.

Lots of interest
The growers, most of whom were from Sicily and Albenga, were very enthusiastic about the possibilities represented by MPS-Fruit & Vegetables. During the meeting, six citrus growers signed an agreement. As a result, these six growers, who cultivate a total area of 49 hectares, have announced that they want their products to meet the stringent requirements of the Fruit & Vegetables label.

For more information:
MPS
Jupiter 450 (Horti Business Center)
2675 LX Honselersdijk
T +31 (0)174 - 615 715
F +31 (0)174 - 632 059
info@my-mps.com
www.my-mps.com

Publication date: Mon 26 Sep 2016