When recently new UNECE standards for fresh produce came into effect in Europe, Euroconte was one of the first companies to anticipate and ready its export figs to comply. “While the UNECE standards have had a soft launch, there are a number of exporters and importers working carefully to fully reach the new standards - and be proud of it. But it certainly doesn’t go without extra effort,” Denise Braga of Brazilian fig export company Euroconte known for its Batia brand comments.
“One of the countries that is leading in this development, implementing UNECE standards is Germany. Traditionally, Germany has always been careful about the monitoring of Maximum Residue Limits and other safeguards for its populace.” To make sure that all fresh exports of Euroconte would meet the conditions set by UNECE, first preparations and trials were executed in the season of 2014.
The bottom line of all new UNECE standards is that they focus on Food Safety, which is a theme that has always been prevalent in Euroconte’s business philosophy.
“One of the particulars with figs in the new UNECE standard, is that there may be no visual presence of any substance foreign to the fruit. So naturally, where powdered figs are concerned which used to have this thin layer of copper sulphate, you will no longer find our fresh figs packed and protected like that. On the positive side, we’ve managed to apply agents and products used in organic crops which replace copper sulphate’s function but that do comply with the new standards as well as with MRL’s. Such a change in agricultural production is a huge challenge of course, despite having tested these new practices in 2014. As agriculture is always dynamic, each result depends on many variables like temperature, wind, rainfall, age of trees, etc. So, it is a great challenge for the time being. But we are ready for it! Which means we’re entirely prepared to once again ship some of Brazil’s most excellent fresh produce items and serve our customers to the best of our abilities,” says Denise in closing.
