Last Tuesday marked a significant milestone for the citrus industry worldwide with the launch at global fruit and vegetable fair Fruit Attraction Madrid of the World Citrus Organisation (WCO).
“This finally places citrus fruits at the same level of coordination worldwide as other fruit categories such as pears and apples, kiwis, avocado and berries, which already have their own global platforms,” says Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) CEO Justin Chadwick.
“The WCO will act as the global platform for dialogue and action between the citrus-producing countries worldwide, enabling them to better face common challenges and seize opportunities for the collective benefit of the citrus sector, in a spirit of cooperation and transparency.”
Led by AILIMPO, the Spanish Lemon and Grapefruit Interbranch Association, and the Citrus Growers’ Association of southern Africa (CGA), sector representatives from Argentina, Chile, Italy, Morocco, Peru, Spain and South Africa decided to join forces to create a global citrus platform where together they can address the many multi-faceted changes experienced by the citrus market over recent years, says Chadwick. Other countries that were unable to attend the meeting have also committed to the project, and the remaining global producers have been invited to join.
Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association, whose secretariat is based in Brussels, Belgium, will coordinate and administer the WCO. The next meeting, where the foundation and future structure of the organisation will be formalised, will take place at Fruit Logistica in Berlin next year.
