At the horticultural farm of Joris Christianen, the Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives has presented the sustainability report 2021 to its stakeholders. Also, a first copy of the report was handed over to the Flemish Minister of Agriculture Hilde Crevits. Within the collective project Responsible Fresh Goodness by nature, the five producers’ cooperatives and the 3,400 producers continue their sustainable development.

Since the beginning of February, Belgian cucumbers are once again available at the REO Veiling. These are cucumbers from traditional cultivation.  Cucumber is primarily a summer vegetable. But thanks to innovative cultivation methods, modern production systems and the expertise of its growers, REO Veiling cucumbers are available almost all year round.

This spring LAVA will launch a pilot project for its new multifunctional digital platform. As the first step in this digitisation process, LAVA wants to provide growers with a handy tool that helps them perform their everyday tasks. A ‘digital assistant’ in the field that combines
existing and new services. 
This pilot project will serve as the basis for a high-quality and future-oriented IT platform that will be further expanded with new intelligent functions to help growers. At a later stage, LAVA will build a ‘digital ecosystem’ around growers and their producer organisations.

Brussels, 26 March 2019 – As of 1 July, Filip Fontaine will become the general director of VLAM, Flanders’ Agricultural Marketing Board. Fontaine succeeds Frans De Wachter who will retire on 1 July 2019 after a long career with VLAM.

FVPhouse, the umbrella association for the Belgian trade and processing of fruit, vegetables and potatoes, has recently finalized its sustainability project : ‘Together towards a circular and solidary supply chain in the fruit, vegetables and potatoes sector’.

Sustainable development is a dynamic and very topical subject: it affects us today, tomorrow and also into the future. The cooperative fruit and vegetable sector, wants to further improve its sustainability.
VBT President, Rita Demaré rolled out the VBT’s renewed sustainability strategy on 7 February 2019 at the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin. The collective quality label Responsibly Fresh remains a way for people to identify fruit and vegetables which have been produced with a concern for sustainability. The new slogan ‘Goodness by nature’ emphasises the fact that the products, which are healthy by nature, are grown with the minimum impact on the environment.

Morgana® is a new apple variety with an intense red skin, bright and slightly yellow-tinged. It was born in Belgium thanks to the work of Better3Fruit.

Thanks to this new range of apples and pears, in combination with the existing range of standard apple and pear varieties, the BFV can offer a very wide range to both the national and the international trade.

Over recent years, the Belgian fruit and vegetable cooperatives have been honouring their pledges to commit themselves to sustainable development. In 2012, VBT, along with its member marketing cooperatives and the associated growers, launched the collective sustainability project and label Responsibly Fresh. There have been positive developments in economic, environmental and social terms alike.

In order to meet the growing demand for tomatoes outside the traditional season, Belgian tomato producers are stepping up growing under lights.