China embarked on its journey into organic agriculture during the early 1990s, notably later than in Europe and the USA. Over the course of approximately three decades, China’s organic food market has grown to become the largest in Asia and the fourth largest globally. Serving as an offshoot of Germany’s BIOFACH, BIOFACH China has been organized by NürnbergMesse GmbH since 2007. China currently has 29 Fairtrade Certified producer organisations that produce a diverse range of organic and fairtrade certified products. Hence, Fairtrade NAPP participated in the event held at Shanghai BIOFACH 2023 from September 18th to September 22nd, 2023 to provide a platform for producers to connect with like-minded people in the organic industry, expand connections and promote their own products.
The event was attended by 9 Producer Organisations from across China who displayed their products in the Fairtrade NAPP booth. This gave them the opportunity to interact directly with the various stakeholders and gain insights regarding the organic market.
The objectives of Participation:
- To continue investing in improving the Fairtrade NAPP’s strategy of aligning its mission of empowering small-scale farmers and farm workers within the Fairtrade framework.
- To gain knowledge of current market trends, opportunities, new technology, standards, and certifications in agri-business through collaboration with like-minded individuals.
- To promote and introduce Fairtrade NAPP’s products, services, and sustainable development initiatives, in addition to creating awareness about Fairtrade NAPP’s unique offerings.
- To empower representatives to enhance their sales and marketing efficiency by understanding the expectations of buyers and consumers concerning quality, pricing, packaging, and social causes.
Participation and Activities:
- Exhibition Booth: The exhibition booth was set up to display a wide range of Fairtrade-organic certified products. This allowed visitors to interact with producers and understand the impact of Fairtrade.
- Networking: Representatives of producer organizations and the team engaged in networking activities to expand their connections with potential buyers, retailers, distributors and consumers.
Key Outcomes:
- Knowledge Sharing: It provided a platform for our Representatives consisting of farmers, workers and Fairtrade NAPP officials to obtain and improve their knowledge, and to develop and expand their competencies and skills.
- Brand Awareness: The event effectively raised awareness surrounding Fairtrade principles and products that foster a deeper understanding of ethical and sustainable trade. It generated various opportunities to expand market reach for Fairtrade-certified products.
- Consumer Engagement: The interactive booth and informative workshops engaged consumers, leading to increased awareness of Fairtrade products and their impacts on the ground.
BIOFACH China has provided much-needed insights for the Fairtrade NAPP as well as the SPOs. The SPOs have now persisted in their efforts to explore and engage potential customers. It has helped in increasing awareness of Fairtrade principles, building a network with potential leads, and engaging with a wider audience. It has helped our Producer Organizations to engage in business activities, seek out trade partners, foster market connections, and establish and reinforce vital networks. To harness the full potential of a trade fair, it is imperative for Fairtrade NAPP to attend such events that align with our objectives.
Testimonials:
- “The event was very effective as many potential customers made enquiries. We are now following up with them and hoping to accomplish more Fairtrade tea sales.” – Xinrong Zhao, SHAOXIN G SHANGYU GRAHAM TEA FARMERS ASSOCIATION, China.
- “This was a very insightful and informative event as I met some of my counterparts and learned their latest best organic practices.” – jinhong yu, Wuyuan Xitou Tea Farmers Association, China.
