Logistics and tech in focus at Asia Fruit Logistica

What does blockchain mean for the future of the fresh produce business? What role can the logistics sector play in cutting down on perishable food waste? What opportunities are there for fresh produce marketers in the rapidly evolving foodservice space?

These are just a few of the questions that will be asked and answered by an information-packed programme of Hall Forums at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, Asia’s premier continental trade show for fresh fruit and vegetable marketing.

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA returns to Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo Center on 5-7 September 2018, and visitors will be able to take part in a wide-ranging programme of daily workshops covering logistics, technology and marketing. Free to access for all exhibitors and visitors, the Hall Forums take place on the show-floor at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. 

Perishable logistics   

Each morning at Hall Forum 2, visitors can take in COOL LOGISTICS ASIA, a programme of walk-in workshops on perishable logistics. Spread across three days, COOL LOGISTICS ASIA will cover a range of themes, including the future of perishables shipped by sea, innovative forms of cold storage and changing priorities in sustainable packaging. 

Opening COOL LOGISTICS ASIA on 5 September, Graham Schrieder, head of fresh fruit and vegetables at container shipping giant Maersk Line, will set out how he sees the future of maritime logistics.

Meanwhile, in his presentation, Ah Huat Goh – general manager of global marketing and service in the reefer container department at Daikin Refrigeration – will tackle the thorny issue of perishable waste, and elaborate on the benefits of active controlled atmosphere solutions.

The lack of adequate cold storage in Asia, especially China, will also be in focus at COOL LOGISTICS ASIA. Alfred Cheung of China’s JC Food Republic will make the case for innovative perishable logistics platforms and growing investment in this region. Cheung has studied the cold chain from an ocean carrier perspective having been head of reefer at OOCL for many years. He’s experimented ever since with reefer inter-modality and packaging, more recently launching his own cross border e-commerce venture.

Disruptive technology

Each afternoon at Hall Forum 2, the focus switches to technology with SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA, a forum looking at the latest disruptive technology and digitalisation of the supply chain. Visitors can listen to speakers from leading companies at the crossroads of technology and horticulture around the world.

Day One focuses on the opportunities and challenges blockchain presents for fresh produce supply chain information management. Dirk-Jan Kennes, global strategist for farm inputs at Rabobank (Hong Kong), will examine the impact of blockchain for stakeholders throughout the fresh produce supply chain, including growers, traders and service providers. 

Day Two revolves around robotics in horticulture. Salah Sukkarieh, professor of robotics and intelligent systems at the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics, will discuss the robotics and data analysis tools his organisation has been developing for fresh produce. Ryo Toshima of world-leading producer of electronics, Panasonic Corporation, will also present its new robot designed to pick tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Day Three will focus on ‘the digital supply chain’, in particular the role data has to play in transforming the food value chain. Jan Brouwer, business group lead at Microsoft Dynamics and spokesperson for food and agriculture at Microsoft Netherlands, will share his vision for farming in the digital world.

Marketing and business management

Running concurrently with Hall Forum 2, ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS FORUM (Hall Forum 1) offers practical ideas and solutions for better fresh produce marketing and business management. Day One focuses on Production & Trade, looking at ‘breakthroughs in breeding’ and ‘big trends in bananas’. Day Two is all about Packaging, including the latest advances in shelf-life preservation and hi-tech packing and grading systems. Marketing is the focus for Day Three, which looks at ‘marketing for occasions’, ‘fresh opportunities in food service’ and at how to collect and use consumer insights effectively in a marketing campaign.

While the Hall Forums take place on the show-floor at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, Asia’s premier fresh produce conference, is the curtain-raiser to the trade show. Taking place on 4 September, the day before ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA at the same venue, ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS is the perfect primer to the trade show, providing an exclusive overview of market trends and enabling delegates to work out who and what to focus on at the three-day exhibition.

ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, organiser ASIAFRUIT MAGAZINE kicks off the conference with a look back at how the business in Asia has changed over the past two decades, and at how it is changing now. Go to www.asiafruitcongress.com to view the full programme. Delegates to ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS receive a three-day pass to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, including access to the Hall Forums.

Exhibition expands

More than 800 companies from 43 different countries exhibited at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2017, an increase of over 150 exhibitors compared with the previous edition. Many new companies and countries are joining the show in 2018.

Ukraine is returning to exhibit for the second year following the success of its debut appearance at the 2017 show. Ukrainian fruit growers’ association Ukrsadprom will once again be showcasing the country’s apples, cherries and berries, together with the Ukrainian Horticultural Association.

More Central Asian and Middle East countries will also feature at this year’s show. Uzbekistan will be represented by Gold Dried Fruits Export, a leading supplier and exporter of dried fruit and vegetable products, while Azerbaijan will be represented for the first time by grower-wholesaler-shipper Amoris. Oman is also a first-time exhibitor, while Jordan and United Arab Emirates will be showcasing their wares again.

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA attracted more than 13,000 high-quality visitors from 76 different countries in 2017. Well over three quarters of those visitors came from Asia, representing 20 different markets across the Asia-Pacific region.

Tickets to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA and ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS can be purchased from the online ticket shop. Click here to access the ticket shop:

https://www.asiafruitlogistica.com/Visitors/Tickets/

Image Source: AFL