Coconut is a popular flavour in sweet treats like chocolate bars, pastries and biscuits. This is why there is demand for desiccated coconut in Europe. Two aspects that have led to unstable supplies are older coconut trees and low farmer incomes. This has caused many supply chain stakeholders to focus on sustainability and take part in sector support projects. There are opportunities in large markets, such as the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. Established suppliers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka dominate the market.
Climate change and biodiversity loss are serious risks to life on earth. This is why the European Commission introduced the European Green Deal (EGD) in 2019. The EGD includes plans that are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of resource while still promoting economic growth. This means that products sold in the European Union (EU) must satisfy stricter sustainability standards.
Nobody is against sustainability legislation, but what we see is often quite different from what was initially expected. With the constant changes and updates, we lack clarity and predictability, making it difficult for businesses to grasp what exactly is needed and how it should be implemented.
Alexander Nobels, Head of quality, health, safety and environment at Simon Lévelt
From our market intelligence and conversations with EU partners, organic certification is in very high demand among EU buyers of South African natural ingredients for cosmetics. We have to take that into account – it’s clearly what the market is asking for, and our producers need to respond to that.
Mariette Van Rooyen, Executive Director at the Cosmetic Export Council of South Africa (CECOSA)
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The MICE market is very complex and there are many interlinked services provided by a wide range of suppliers. The MICE customer has high expectations for high-quality services and personalised customer service. To work with the European market, MICE suppliers must be knowledgeable, professional and prepared. The increase in demand for bleisure experiences (defined as leisure mixed with business) offers local tour operators significant opportunities to develop suitable products for the market.
Over the years, Going Places Tours & Travel Zambia has also included business travel in its strategic plan. Although we are primarily leisure ground handlers in Zambia, we also focus on international, regional and national corporate incentive groups. The successful business we have generated has been due to consistent marketing efforts in the European and regional markets, and includes medical professionals, NGOs such as Rotary International, and local companies.
There are many elements involved in MICE tourism but the key to successful execution is communication and planning, which includes organising the ground elements of the conferences, airport transfers, accommodation, and even adding a short holiday break before delegates depart for their respective homes!
Rachel Ward, Going Places Tours & Travel Zambia
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The European sweet potato market has not yet reached its full potential. Growing import together with local production initiatives are fostering mainstream consumption and product development. Consumption is most developed in the UK. The Netherlands positions itself as a trade hub for northern European growth markets such as Germany and France.
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Exporting sweet potatoes to Europe requires a lot of hard work and knowledge. To help you prepare CBI provides a Market Potential study with a list of European countries that offer the most opportunities for export of sweet potatoes and it describes the trends that offer new opportunities. The Market Entry study on this page contains information about buyer requirements and certifications, main market segments and distribution channels as well as information about the competition.
Although apples are mass-produced in Europe and can be stored for a long time, there is always a window of opportunity for imported apples, especially in the off-season. Germany and the UK are the main markets, but you can also find opportunities in countries such as Sweden and Romania, which have a high dependence on imports as well.
The global apple market is expanding while the circle is getting smaller, meaning that logistical improvements provide opportunities for importing apples but the European consumer increasingly prefers the domestic product. International trade can only prevail with interesting apple varieties and taste profiles.
Kees Oskam, director of Jan Oskam BV
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Exporting chilli peppers to Europe requires a lot of hard work and knowledge. To help you prepare CBI provides market information with trends which offer opportunities in the European market for exporting chilli peppers. From information about buyer requirements and certifications when exporting chilli peppers, to main market segments and distribution channels for exporting chilli peppers as well as information about the competition.
Exporting cassava to Europe requires a lot of hard work and knowledge. To help you prepare CBI provides market information with trends which offer opportunities in the European market for exporting cassava. From information about buyer requirements and certifications when exporting cassava, to main market segments and distribution channels for exporting cassava as well as information about the competition.
Exporting apples to Europe requires a lot of hard work and knowledge. To help you prepare CBI provides market information with trends which offer opportunities in the European market for exporting apples. From information about buyer requirements and certifications when exporting apples, to main market segments and distribution channels for exporting apples as well as information about the competition.
The supply chain for grains, pulses and oilseeds is becoming more digital. This is most evident for the larger commodity crops, such as wheat, soy beans and maize. Digital technology allows you to collect data, improve agricultural production and get better access to funding and markets. You must be selective in the technologies you wish to use, as there may be many tools available in your country. Other key success factors are the support of the service provider and good mobile connectivity.
To make digitalisation work for smallholder farmers of grains and pulses, a holistic approach is needed. Digitalisation in agriculture has been in full development and nowadays, there are many service providers with single-focus services, causing a lot of duplication in data collection and analysis. Finding a sustainable, integrated solution with long-term benefits is the way to go. The tool should be suitable for your local circumstances and combine different aspects, such as agricultural data and advice, financial services and access to markets.
Benjamin Kwasi Addom – international expert in digitalisation for agriculture
Keep it simple. The success of a tool does not depend on the latest technology, but on how the technology is understood and used by the end users. In an environment where people have low literacy and numeracy skills and poor access to internet and electricity, simple robust solutions often are more successful. An important factor is to organise a strong local network to support and promote the tool.
André Jellema – digital agriculture expert and AUXFIN agricultural programme manager
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