9th International Conference of Producer Organisations for fruit & vegetables (ICOP 2014). For the 9th time representatives of the European fruit and vegetable sector meet from November 24th to 26th 2014 to talk about relevant political and economic developments. This time the organiser – the Austrian consultancy gfa-consulting gmbh – chose the “green island” Ireland as a venue for the International Conference of Producer Organisations for fruit and vegetables (ICOP 2014). Partners of this year’s ICOP are the PO-umbrella organisations amcAUSTRIA (AT), BVEO (DE), DPA Dutch Produce Association (NL), as well as the representative organisations cogeca (EU), A.R.E.F.L.H. (EU) and Portugal Fresh (PT), the main sponsors CMP Commercial Mushroom Producers (IE) and Northway Mushrooms (Northern Ireland).
The abbreviation “ICOP” stands for “International Conference of Producer Organisations” and is closely linked to the Austrian consultancy gfa-consulting gmbh that initiated this event. gfa’s most significant project ICOP is also quite successful and has established itself as an important connection point in the field of fruit and veg production. The ICOP offers the possibility for networking and the exchange of experience. Every year representatives of the branch (POs, payment agencies, customers…) from a wide range of European countries attend this Conference. One year since ICOP 2013 took place in the sunny south of Europe, in the Spanish capital city Madrid, the venue of ICOP 2014 is the Republic of Ireland.
The two-day conference itself takes place at the Hotel Ballsbridge in Dublin. Elementary items on the agenda are amongst others the presentations of Producer Organisations from all parts of Europe – from Ireland via Northern Ireland, Netherlands and Belgium to Austria and Germany. Learning from each other and thinking out of the box are the aims of this item of the programme.
Marketing trends are a second major point on the agenda. On the one hand innovation consultant Olivier Hausheer of the French market intelligence agency XTC World Innovation provides an insight into trends, developments and International influences on the European fruit and vegetable market. On the other hand consultant Frank Rehme of the German gmvteam analyses the “wondrous being consumer”. The central question is: ‘How does the buyer decision process happen in the brain of the consumer?’
The second part of ICOP-conference deals with political questions in line with the reform of the new Common Market Organization (CMO) for fruit and vegetables. The CMO represents the framework for the funding of Producer Organisations (POs). At the end of the year 2013 and in the run of 2014 several adaptions and changes of the regulations were implemented and of course they influence the daily work of the POs. In line with that Noreen Cunningham, founding member of the so called Newcastle group and CMO-expert as well as Rudy van der Stappen of the European Commission and Guy Lambrechts of the Flemish payment agency will conduct presentations and will offer their point of view. Apart from that Norbert Friedrich of the ETG in Austria outlines the practical requirements and impacts of the CMO for the concerned POs.
The third block of the conference offers the possibility for the attendees to get to know successful companies of the PO sector from all over Europe, focussing especially on the country of the event, Ireland. Apart from the Irish companies – the trading company Keelings, the two POs selling mushrooms CMP and Northway Mushrooms as well as Teagasc – projects of the German PO Reichenau-Gemüse eG and the project Fresh Produce Center from the Netherlands will present. Subsequently chairman Hans van Es will lead through a final panel discussion offering the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.
On November 26th the participants of the Conference can get a practical impression of the fruit and vegetable branch in Ireland. They can either choose between an excursion to CMP – the biggest PO producing mushrooms – and the trading organisation Keelings selling fruit and vegetables. Both of the excursions are highly interesting. The event is already well-known in the food and vegetable branch. The organizers expect to have again quite a number of participants from entire Europe.
ICOP 2014 – 9th International Conference of Producer Organisations for fruit and vegetables
October 25th and 26th 2014
Hotel Ballsbridge, Dublin (Ireland)
For further information do not hesitate to contact us:
Wolfgang Braunstein
gfa – consulting gmbh
Tel.: 0043 676/ 840 300 101
Email: ib@gfa.co.at
Source: FreshProduce News Room
