Market strategies and new apples for successfully confronting European markets.

摘要

The article discusses existing and changing market strategies for apples in Europe. The present imperatives in marketing apples are to increase the range of products, improve quality, and control the product in each stage of the commercial network,in order to ensure the confidence and loyalty of consumers. Europe currently produces 8 of the 15 million tonnes of apples produced world wide, with a value of USdollar 7 million. However, producers' profits in Europe are falling, while those involved in distribution are rising. The second section after the introduction examines current market strategies, which seem to more producer- than consumer-oriented: too many producers are dependent on single varieties with a comparatively short shelf-life, and theremay be intense competition in different areas, with a fragmentation of both production and consumption. The third section examines new strategies, dominated by supermarkets using fruit and vegetables as a 'pull strategy' on consumers, who are offered consistency of product and product quality, as well as greater information on origin than was formerly the case. The third section looks at innovations in the sector, especially in genetics, which is restricted through costs and the long-term nature of development, not suited to a largely family-based form of production with cooperative marketing and distribution. The last third of the article is taken up with a detailed description of the example of Biofru in Belgium. The conclusion recommends the development of new varieties, the extension of modern management methods to the whole of the production and marketing chain, and protection for research activities into the different markets.