China FVF: Successful B2B meetings, visitor numbers down

The China World Fruit and Vegetable Fair has just concluded in Beijing. The show was held between Sunday October the 30th and Tuesday November 1st. Participants were enthusiastic about the topics and the quality of the seminars. Foreign delegations gave feedback that they valued the opportunity to meet with relevant trade authorities. Visitor numbers dropped, however, during the second day, which disappointed some of the traders and stand holders.

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It is crowded in the New Zealand Pavillion with Allan Pollard of PipFruit, Jen Scoular, Ashby Whitebread and Roger Gilbertson, also of PipFruit

According to some of the visitors, the show is known in China for the quality of its lectures on the fresh produce industry. “Topics are relevant, and the show manages to gather an interesting mix of speakers of different backgrounds,” said a visitor from Shandong. Lectures and seminars touched upon various topics, including the current state of the Chinese fresh produce market, logistics and data, production and marketability of domestic and import products, such as Chinese apples and pears and Egyptian citrus, and a review of inspection and quarantine policies.

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Fu Wang Yu, CEO of Shuang Yu (Thailand) and Fang Yi, General Manager at Beijing Brilliant Flourish Imp & Exp

Nancy Su from Hainan, grower and exporter of tropical fruits from the province. The company also has an office in Shanghai.

The organisation itself was pleased with the outcome of the B2B meetings it organised during the three days: “the number of B2B business meetings we managed to schedule was substantially larger than last year. We facilitated over 120 meetings during the three days.”

In addition, foreign exhibitors expressed that the major draw of the show to them is the opportunity to meet with officials from the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the PRC. Both organisations can help to facilitate market access to the country. “Having multiple meetings with different representatives arranged, with the help of translators, is a hopeful step in the process towards market access,” according to a delegation from South Africa.

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Special yellow passionfruit variety

Finally, a number of domestic stand holders were disappointed by the number of visitors: “day one and the beginning of day two were relatively busy. It was quite crowded with visitors after the Opening Ceremony. However, after the start and into the second day, visitor numbers dropped.”

It is said that the show will be moving to the centre of Beijing next year.

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