Topic “In the News News” — Exporter Magazine

PET is unlikely to replace glass as the material of choice for French wine producers but at Emballage in Paris this week plastic packaging firms said demand from the wine sector is increasing fast, according to FoodProductionDaily.com. The move follows a study that estimated up to 60,000 tonnes of bananas destroyed in Australia each year were suitable for processing but discarded for cosmetic reasons, according to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald carried on FreshPlaza.com. Quoting market experts at RTS resources, the report said the colours market is estimated to be worth USD $1.7 billion (NZD2.2 billion), with natural colours said to make up USD $0.65 billion. Kathryn Jaggard, derivatives manager for NZX, said 55 contracts had been traded since the launch of the whole milk powder futures product. The number of trades was meeting expectations. Gulfood, said to be the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition, has fully sold out four months ahead of the show, organisers were quoted saying in TradeArabia.com. The event will run until Wednesday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta). It is co-hosted by Adta and the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi. John Hartnell, spokesperson of the Federated Farmers, wants MAF to implement improved test methods that guarantee the safety of disease-free pollen imports. Farmers also also demanding that appropriate screening for viruses or fungal spore be conducted for imports. Production may start as early as January, with an introduction to the public by February or March, the report said, quoting Mike Abramsky, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets in Toronto.