MANGO WORLD MAGAZINE ( founded 2000)

PERU'S MANGO PACKING SHEDS (In Alphabetical order) Through February 26,2012

2012-02-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

Source: SENASA

MANGO 2011-2012 - PÌURA AL 26 FEBRERO 2012

EMPACADORA

TM .........................................................N° CONTENEDORES

AG. NATURAL PERU SAC

100.608 ......................................................................... 20

AGROINDUSTRIAL SEÑOR DE HUAMANTANGA SAC 696.274 .........................................................................109

AGROJUGOS S.A.C.

924.712 .........................................................................42

AGROMAR INDUSTRIAL S.A

2987.418 ....................................................................152

AGROPACKING EXPORT S.A.

3321.616 .......................................................................152

AGROPESCA DEL PERU S.A.C.

763.953........................................................................... 34

AGROYEX EXPORTACIONES DEL PERU S.A.C.

1526.5 .............................................................................69

ASOCIACION DE PRODUCTORES DE MANGO DEL VALLE ALTO PIURA

313.428 ............................................................................18

BIOFRUIT S.A.

7575.678 ......................................................................402

CAMPOSOL S.A.

1139.64 ...........................................................................79

CENTRO LOGISTICO INDUSTRIAL SULLANA SAC

1543.494 ..........................................................................71

CORPORACION TORTOLANI S.A.C

259.96 ...............................................................................44

DISTRIBUIDORA INTERNACIONAL AGROINDUSTRIAL SAC.

6284.586 ........................................................................395

DOMINUS S.A.C.

4035.754 ........................................................................206

ECO NATURAL EIRL

1355.308 ..........................................................................70

EMPACADORA DE FRUTOS TROPICALES S. A. C.

6286.984 .......................................................................308

ESPINOZA ESCRIBA, JUSTO IDO

15.552 ..............................................................................4

F.L.P DEL PERU S.A.C

5402.872....................................................................... 294

FRESH LINE COMPANY SAC

1307.384........................................................................ 59

FRUINTAC SAC

229.476.......................................................................... 70

FRUSABE SAC.

53.856.............................................................................. 21

FRUT PACK EIRL.

930.43.............................................................................. 55

FRUTOS COSTEÑOS DEL PERU SAC

1075.86 .............................................................................48

FRUTOS ECOLOGICOS DEL PERU SAC.

710.186............................................................................. 32

INCA LAND FARMS SAC

531.246............................................................................. 32

MAR Y AGRO S.A.C

346.512.............................................................................. 16

MARKET GARDEN PERU SAC

55.26.................................................................................. 20

MELANGO SRL

985.954.............................................................................. 79

PERU FRUT TROPICAL SAC

1764.96............................................................................... 91

PHOENIX EXPORT SAC

1265.256............................................................................. 64

SUNSHINE EXPORT S.A.C.

7733.704 ...........................................................................495

Total general

61524.421 T/M.................................................... 3,551 Containers

APEM EXPORT ESTIMATES ARE WAY OFF ...

2012-02-27T09:28:00.001-08:00

By Will Cavan
Executive Director
International Mango Organization (IMO)
Vista, California

www.mangoworldmagazine.blogspot.com

February 27, 2012

SENASA (The Peruvian Department of Agriculture) most recent report reveals that 61,524.421 metric tonnes of mango have been exported so far this season.

This is the equivalent of 3,551 containers through week eight of 2012.

With atleast 4 to 6 weeks left in the Peru mango season, and roughly 5,000,000 cartons left to harvest in the Casma region, the APEM preseason estimate of 63 thousand metric tonnes (Which was later revised downwards by APEM by as much as 15%) will be shattered this week.

The SENASA data reveals that there are 31 packing sheds and 100 exporters chasing the supposedly "short" crop.

The number would be even higher if such a large amount of fruit was not going to processors.

Recent rains which are projected continue to have forced certain regions in the San Lorenzo valley and harvest strictly for the processesors.

LATEST SENASA DATA FROM PERU ...

2012-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

EXPORTADOR	TM	N° CONTENEDORES
A&M LEXA EXPORT SAC	4.224	1
AGRO EXPORT ANDINA SAC	1309.612	63
AGRO EXPORTACIONES Y SERVICIOS DE PERU SAC	554.4	25
AGRO FLEX S.A.C.	243.936	11
AGRO INKA PERU EXPORT SAC	443.354	20
AGROEXPORTACIONES VALLE SAN LORENZO SAC	20.748	1
AGROFRUTOS TRADING S.A	510.048	23
AGROINDUSTRIAS GOLDEN FRESH S.A.C.	929.392	42
AGROINDUSTRIAS SOLCACE SAC	1618.848	86
AGROJUGOS S.A.C.	551.152	25
AGROLAMBERT PERU S.R.L.	108.44	36
AGROMUNDO EXPORT SAC	10.8	3
AGROSOL PERU EXPORT & CIA S.A.C.	60.806	13
ALLSELECT S.A.C.	4.572	3
ASOCIACION DE PRODUCTORES DE MANGO DEL VALLE ALTO PIURA	276.766	15
ASTUDILLO MUNGUIA, EDGAR	317.228	29
ATLANTIC FRUITS PERU BRANCH S.A.C.	1042.272	47
BARSSA CORPORATION E.I.R.L	341.6	16
CAMPOS DEL NORTE F-V SRL	133.056	6
CAMPOSOL S.A.	3816.866	200
CC TROPICALES SAC.	943.008	44
CGM SOCIEDAD AGRICOLA S.A.C	376.992	17
CMR EXPORT S.A.C	1137.067	51
CMRR S.A.	22.73	1
CONSORCIO AGROEXPORTADOR DEL PERU S.A.C.	66.528	3
CORPORACION TORTOLANI S.A.C	259.96	44
DISTRIBUIDORA INTERNACIONAL AGROINDUSTRIAL SAC.	22.872	15
DOMINUS S.A.C.	4124.458	210
ECO NATURAL EIRL	1358.626	60
ECOSAIC SAC	354.65	16
EXPORTACIONES CARMEN HIDALGO SAC	143.28	8
EXPORTACIONES ISABELA SAC	66.048	3
EXPORTACIONES SM SAC	133.056	6
F&B AGROPECUARIA Y SERVICIOS EIRL	22.73	1
F.L.P DEL PERU S.A.C	5424.04	296
FAIRTRASA PERU SA.	68.482	5
FCE EXPORT FRUIT SAC	88.704	4
FRESH FRUIT FOR THE WORLD SAC	127.332	8
FRESH FRUITS S.R.L	492.281	75
FRUINTAC SAC	229.476	70
FRUITS FOR YOU SAC	57.316	22
FRUSABE SAC	44.688	8
FRUSABE SAC.	48.72	12
FRUTAS PIURANAS SAC	2571.468	139
FRUTOS COSTEÑOS DEL PERU SAC	984.132	44
FRUTOS OLMOS PERU S.A.C.	269.108	25
FRUTOS TROPICALES DEL NORTE S.A	86.54	4
GALAZ SAC	21.792	2
GLOBAL FRUITS SAC	4.8	3
GREENLAND PERU S.A.C.	1038.652	48
GRUPO AGRO SAN MARTIN SAC	177.408	8
GRUPO DIAZ CALDERON S.A.C	109.764	5
GRUPO MARCAFRUIT PERU S.A.C.	44.352	2
H.C.Q. PERU S.A.C	44.352	2
HUGO´S FOOD PERU SAC	133.056	6
INCA LAND FARMS SAC	682.446	39
INKAFRESH PERU SA	1043.136	52
INTERAGRO S.R.L.	66.528	3
ITN S.A.	552.35	25
JORMUREX SAC	370.172	17
JUMAR PERU SAC	1130.754	90
KEMBLE PERU TRADING SAC	620.928	28
KION EXPORT SAC	632.448	43
LIDER EXPORT S.A.C.	260.832	12
LIMAGRO S.A	332.64	15
M&C FRUITS SAC	1218.68	55
MELANGO SRL	777.21	45
MONTES DE OCA FRESH SOCIEDAD ANONIMA CERRADA - MOF SAC.	284.856	13
MONTESDEOCA DUEÑAS FERNANDO ARTURO	803.262	42
NAIRA PERU SAC	19.152	1
NATURALLY FRESH EIRL	106.915	9
NEGOCIOS LATINOAMERICANOS SAC	22.752	1
NEVICO PERU SAC	44.352	2
NOROESTE SAC	88.704	4
NORTHERN FISHING EMPRESA INDIVIDUAL DE RESPONSABILIDAD LIMITADA	4.752	1
PAFRU INTERNACIONAL PERU EIRL	1543.494	71
PATT FRESH S.A.C.	34.888	2
PERU FRUT TROPICAL SAC	1676.256	87
PERU TROPICALS S.A.C.	295.978	14
PERUVIAN QUALITY FRUITS S.A.C	1467.07	64
PRIMA FRUTA DEL PERU SAC	288.288	13
PROMANGO	465.696	23
PRONATUR EIRL	658.282	32
QUECHUA FRUTOS Y VEGETALES S.A.C	110.88	5
S&S CORPORATION S R L	155.232	7
SIECOSELVA EXPORT IMPORT S.A.C	22.176	1
SIEMBRA ALTA SAC	185.564	14
SOBIFRUITS S.A.C.	187.168	86
SOCIEDAD AGRICOLA FRONTERA DEL PERU E.I.R.L.	1286.208	59
SOCIEDAD AGRICOLA SATURNO SA	1367.544	69
SPRING VALLEY FRUIT S.A.C.	181.84	8
STANIS SAC	12	1
STRATEGOS FEEDING S.A.C.	1.746	1
SUNSHINE EXPORT S.A.C.	6586.616	437
TAMBO FRUIST EXPORT SAC	22.176	1
TIERRAS INCA S.A.C.	133.056	6
TODO MUNDO EXPORT & IMPORT SAC	33.112	2
TROPICAL FRUIT TRADING PERU SAC	930.43	55
TUCHPA AMAZONICA S.A.C.	66.528	3
TUMI FRESH EIRL	643.104	29
WORLD MARKET ENTERPRISES SRL	709.632	32
Total general	61524.421	3551

JUST FOOD COMMENTARY for February 27, 2012 ...

2012-02-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

Issue 611

February 27, 2012

Editorial

The world's largest retailer Wal-Mart was able to report some encouraging news last week, when it unveiled improved domestic sales for the final quarter of 2011.

In recent years, the company has increasingly leaned on its international operations to fuel top-line growth. In contrast, its US business has struggled to grow revenues. Various initiatives, such as reducing the number of SKUs it carries, were roundly rejected by Wal-Mart's brand- and price-conscious customers.

Wal-Mart responded to this lacklustre domestic performance with a back-to-basics approach that has seen it finally gain sales traction in the US - with a 2.5% sales lift in the market during the fourth-quarter.

Merchandising initiatives and improved availability, coupled with a renewed focus on price, have struck a chord with hard-pressed US shoppers. Wal-Mart, it seems, is once again the home of a wide assortment of big brands at low prices.

While you might have thought that rising US sales would have brought Wal-Mart's TM smiley face to its shareholders, the group's results actually left some in the investment community worrying over the impact that price investments will have on margins. Indeed, shares in the company dipped following Wal-Mart's fourth-quarter and full-year results released last week, which just goes to prove the old adage - "you're damned if you do, damned if you don't".

Augmenting these margin concerns, it seems Wal-Mart could find it progressively harder to keep prices down in the coming year, if the general sentiment at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference is anything to go by.

US food giants from ConAgra to General Mills roundly warned of the impact that pricing initiatives were having on volumes.

US shoppers are "making do with less" in response to price increases that various brand manufacturers have pushed through as they look to protect margins in the face of higher input costs. The squeeze on the income of America's middle class has added to this problem and increased the threat presented to brands by private label alternatives.

These industry-wide concerns mean that the US food sector looks set to continue to witness challenging conditions in 2012.

The majority of companies presenting at CAGNY offered their own spin on a fairly textbook answer to the problem at hand: increase investment in brand building and innovation while you cut costs to protect margins. Whether this will be enough to shore-up profits in the current tough trading environment remains to be seen.

However, it was not all gloom and doom in sunny Florida.

Kraft was able to crow somewhat as management detailed how they achieved the company's impressive turnaround, while Mead Johnson insisted that there are "few" in the industry who can look to the future with such confidence, in spite of the anticipated negative impact from the publicity surrounding December's - false - safety scare.

So, with a mixed outlook for the US food industry, the remainder of the year looks set to be turbulent as companies vie for increasingly scarce consumer dollars and simultaneously attempt to keep a lid on margins.

Until next time...

Katy Askew
Insights Editor
Web: http://www.just-food.com
Email: editor@just-food.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/just_food

MAERSK BOX ANNOUNCES NEW CA TECHNOLOGY ...

2012-02-27T07:44:00.001-08:00

Star Cool CA ready for new markets

MCI has taken the concept of controlled atmosphere (CA) a step further by integrating a membrane system into the Star Cool Integrated Reefer.

Now, with additional production capacity, CA is affordable and available for more MCI customers who will be able to ship fresh produce to even more distant markets.

“The CA acquisition cost is lower, and customers will in addition save money on operations as cost per trip is kept to a minimum,” says Anders G. Holm of MCI Sales and Marketing. “Controlled atmosphere allows customers to enter a whole range of new trades.”

Further improvements are on the way. Until now, focus has been on bananas and avocados, but on-going tests at MCI include most lower-respiring cargos.

The extra benefit is clear to Sten W. Hansen, who is a proclaimed “big fan” of MCI’s controlled atmosphere. He is Category Manager in Dansk Supermarked, a grocery chain with 1,300 stores in Northern Europe and about 1.3 million customer transactions every day.

“In the future, we will require all container deliveries of bananas to come with controlled atmosphere,” he says.

For more information:
Erik Høgh-Sørensen
MCI
Tel: +45 51 41 84 10
ehs@maerskbox.com

Publication date: 2/27/2012

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF IRAN'S ECOLOGICAL DETERIORATION ...

2012-02-27T05:23:00.002-08:00

Lake Urmia in the northwestern corner of Iran is one of the largest permanent hypersaline lakes in the world and the largest lake in the Middle East.

The lake's surface area has been estimated to have been as large as 6 100 km² but since 1995 it has generally been declining (9) and was estimated from satellite data to be only 2 366 km² in August of 2011.

Scientists have warned that continued decline would lead to increased salinity, collapse of the lake's food chain and ecosystem, loss of wetland habitat, wind blown "salt-storms," alteration of local climate and serious negative impacts on local agriculture and livelihoods as well as regional health.

UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS) February bulletin provides more details on the drying of the lake and its environmental consequences.

Read online at:

http://na.unep.net/geas/getUNEPPageWithArticleIDScript.php?article_id=79

Regards
Arshia
==========================================
Arshia Chander
Work Manager, UNEP GRID Project
SGT, Inc. Contractor to the USGS EROS Center
47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001 USA

Email: achander@usgs.gov
Phone: 1-605-594-6006
Fax: 1-605-594-6119

USDA DATA REVEALS NEARLY 3 MILLION CARTONS IMPORTED IN FEBRUARY 2012 ...

2012-02-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

By Will Cavan
Executive Director
International Mango Organization (IMO)
Vista, California

www.mangoworldmagazine.blogspot.com

February 27, 2012

USDA import data through the 23rd of February reveals that Peru arrivals of mango have been running 600 thousand (4kg) cartons per week.

During week 7, Mexico exported nearly 1 million cartons which have yet to show up in USDA reporting.

Nicaragua is shipping it's first fruit with one container per week arriving so far. Expect volume to pick up in March.

Guatemala is running about two weeks behind schedule.

Redskin mangoes should continue to remain in tight supply for the next two weeks.

Ataulfos are the volume leader right now with some quality issues being reported.

Commodity Name	Origin Name	Date	Pounds	Boxes of 8.8 lbs
MANGOS	ECUADOR	02/01/2012	180,638	20,527
MANGOS	ECUADOR	02/02/2012	41,818	4,752
MANGOS	ECUADOR	02/03/2012	43,507	4,944
MANGOS	ECUADOR	02/04/2012	809,389	91,976
Total			1,075,352	122,199
MANGOS	HONDURAS	02/23/2012	44,242	5,028
Total			44,242	5,028
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/04/2012	48,523	5,514
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/06/2012	103,963	11,814
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/07/2012	153,859	17,484
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/08/2012	94,829	10,776
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/10/2012	102,749	11,676
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/13/2012	205,663	23,371
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/14/2012	341,101	38,761
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/15/2012	207,464	23,575
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/16/2012	248,906	28,285
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/17/2012	46,675	5,304
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/18/2012	261,232	29,685
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/19/2012	85,008	9,660
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/20/2012	452,720	51,445
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/21/2012	450,780	51,225
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/22/2012	202,092	22,965
MANGOS	MEXICO	02/23/2012	93,918	10,673
Total			3,099,482	352,213
MANGOS	NICARAGUA	02/09/2012	48,004	5,455
MANGOS	NICARAGUA	02/16/2012	48,006	5,455
MANGOS	NICARAGUA	02/23/2012	46,464	5,280
Total			142,474	16,190
MANGOS	PERU	02/01/2012	248,160	28,200
MANGOS	PERU	02/03/2012	48,787	5,544
MANGOS	PERU	02/04/2012	5,074,909	576,694
MANGOS	PERU	02/06/2012	684,427	77,776
MANGOS	PERU	02/08/2012	388,234	44,118
MANGOS	PERU	02/09/2012	48,787	5,544
MANGOS	PERU	02/11/2012	5,398,318	613,445
MANGOS	PERU	02/12/2012	44,352	5,040
MANGOS	PERU	02/14/2012	677,538	76,993
MANGOS	PERU	02/15/2012	391,706	44,512
MANGOS	PERU	02/18/2012	5,940,784	675,089
MANGOS	PERU	02/21/2012	397,804	45,205
MANGOS	PERU	02/22/2012	538,067	61,144
MANGOS	PERU	02/23/2012	97,574	11,088
Total			19,979,447	2,270,392
Grand Total			24,340,997	2,766,022

Source: USDA Market News - marketnews.usda.gov

MAERSK RETHINKS OBJECTIVES ..

2012-02-27T03:39:00.002-08:00

PRESS RELEASE GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2011

2/27/2012 8:00 AM

Highlights

"We deliver an acceptable result for 2011 considering how the shipping rates developed during the year. Markets are volatile, but our businesses are fundamentally strong and competitive. Our products and services are in high demand and most of our core businesses deliver good results. 2012 will be another challenging year and we will continue to focus on profitability and allocate our growth investments to terminals and oil-related business," says Group CFO Trond Westlie.

Revenue increased by 7% to USD 60.2bn (USD 56.1bn), positively affected by higher oil prices and container volumes but offset by lower container freight rates. Profit was USD 3.4bn (USD 5.0bn) and thus in accordance with the latest announced outlook of USD 3.1-3.5bn expressed on 9 November 2011. The result was negatively affected by low container freight rates on especially the Asia-Europe trades and positively affected by the divestment gain from Netto Foodstores Limited, UK of USD 0.7bn. The Group's return on invested capital (ROIC) was 8.3% (12.2%).

Maersk Liner Business made a loss of USD 0.6bn (profit of USD 2.6bn) and a negative ROIC of 3.4% (positive by 15.3%). The negative result was primarily due to the low rates on the Asia-Europe trades. The freight rates started the year at a reasonable level, but decreased throughout the year as large amounts of new tonnage was delivered. Overall freight rates were 8% lower than in 2010 and this, combined with 35% higher bunker prices, reduced margins considerably. The number of containers carried increased by 11% to 8.1m FFE, and the Group more than regained the market share lost during 2010.

Maersk Oil made a profit of USD 2.1bn (USD 1.7bn) and a ROIC of 36.3% (32.6%), positively affected by 39% higher oil prices at an average of USD 111 per barrel (80 per barrel). The Group's share of oil and gas production declined by 12% to 333,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (377,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day), primarily due to lower share of production in Qatar and lower production in Denmark and the UK. The high investment level continued throughout the year and the Group was successful in securing a number of new licences in Norway, the UK and the US Gulf of Mexico. The high exploration activity resulted in new discoveries, and at year end the Group was involved in execution of four major development projects in the UK, US Gulf of Mexico, Kazakhstan and Algeria.

APM Terminals made a profit of USD 649m (USD 793m). The profit excluding sales gains and impairment losses was 24% higher than in 2010. Container throughput increased by 8% on a like-for-like basis and ROIC was 13.1% (16.0%). The high investment level from previous years continued, and during 2011 APM Terminals secured further new investments and development projects primarily in emerging markets.

Maersk Drilling made a profit of USD 495m (USD 399m) and a ROIC of 12.7% (11.0%), positively affected by higher day rates and better contract coverage. Several new longterm contracts were entered into and the Group committed USD 3.9bn for investments in six new rigs.

Maersk Supply Service made a profit of USD 210m (USD201m) and a ROIC of 11.3% (10.5%), positively affected by a higher activity level and improved spot rates.

Maersk Tankers experienced difficult market conditions due to excess capacity in most tanker segments and made a loss of USD 151m (USD 118m) and a negative ROIC of 4.2% (3.4%). To better utilise the fleet Maersk Tankers entered into a new VLCC pool partnership as joint operator.

Damco continued growing and adjusting its business portfolio. With the acquisition of NTS International Transport Services in China, Damco has significantly increased its service offerings within the airfreight market. Profit was USD 65m (USD 44m) and ROIC was 25.8% (22.2%).

Svitzer experienced mixed market conditions and slightly improved profits to USD 133m (USD 130m). ROIC was 7.0% (7.2%).

Maersk FPSOs and Maersk LNG made a profit of USD 8m (loss of USD 242m) and a ROIC of 0.3% (negative by 8.0%), negatively affected by net impairments of USD 159m. An agreement was entered into to divest Maersk LNG for USD 1.4bn. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q1 2012.

Retail activities made a profit of DKK 5.3bn (DKK 2.2bn) and a ROIC of 34.7% (15.4%), positively affected by gain of DKK 3.8bn corresponding to USD 0.7bn from the divestment of Netto Foodstores Limited, UK. The divestment was completed in April 2011.

Cash flow from operating activities was USD 7.3bn (USD 10.1bn), while cash flow used for capital expenditure was USD 9.8bn (USD 4.6bn). The Group's free cash flow was negative USD 2.5bn (positive USD 5.5bn). With an equity ratio of 51.4% (51.5%), net interest-bearing debt of USD 15.3bn (USD 12.4bn) and a liquidity buffer of USD 11.3bn (USD 14.5bn), the Group is well prepared and determined to execute on its long-term growth aspirations and seize market opportunities within its core businesses despite current turmoil in the financial markets.

Quarterly figures

Quarterly figures for the Group for 2011 and 2010 are available on http://investor.maersk.com/financials.cfm

"We deliver an acceptable result for 2011 considering how the shipping rates developed during the year. Markets are volatile, but our businesses are fundamentally strong and competitive. Our products and services are in high demand and most of our core businesses deliver good results. 2012 will be another challenging year and we will continue to focus on profitability and allocate our growth investments to terminals and oil-related business," says Group CFO Trond Westlie.

Outlook for 2012

The A.P. Moller - Maersk Group expects a positive result lower than the 2011 result. Cash flow used for capital expenditure is expected to be around the same level as in 2011 while cash flow from operating activities is expected to develop in line with the result.

Maersk Oil expects a result significantly below the result for 2011 based on expected 20% decline in the share of oil and gas production to a level of around 265,000 boepd at an average oil price of USD 105 per barrel. The production decline is predominantly caused by a reduced share of production in Qatar, and the natural maturation of the North Sea fields. The transfer of 20% ownership of DUC to the Danish North Sea Fund by mid-2012 will reduce the Group's production share in Denmark, but will have no impact on net earnings. Exploration costs are expected to be above USD 1bn.

Maersk Liner Business expects a negative result in 2012 as a consequence of excess capacity. Global demand for seaborne containers is expected to increase by 4-6% in 2012, lower on the Asia-Europe trades but supported by higher growth in the North-South trades.

APM Terminals expects a result above 2011 and to grow more than the market supported by volumes from new terminals.

Maersk Drilling has almost full contract coverage at attractive rates in 2012 and expects a result in line with the 2011 result.

Maersk Supply Service expects a result at the same level as in 2011, with one third of the available vessel days in 2012 not yet contracted.

The total result from all other activities is expected to be at the same level as in 2011 excluding divestment gains and impairments.

The outlook for 2012 is subject to considerable uncertainty, not least due to developments in the global economy. The Group's expected result depends on a number of factors. Based on the expected earnings level and all other things equal, the sensitivities for four key value drivers are listed in the table below:

Forward-looking statements

This Group annual report contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties as various factors, many of which are beyond A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S' control, may cause actual development and results to differ materially from expectations contained in the Group annual report.

Governing text

The Group annual report has been translated from Danish. The Danish text shall govern for all purposes and prevail in case of any discrepancy with the English version.

Sustainability report

The A.P. Moller - Maersk Group has also published a separate report on sustainability. The report constitutes the Group's Communication on Progress to the UN Global Compact, complying with the requirements of the Danish Financial Statements Act on corporate social responsibility reporting. The report is available on www.maersk.com/sustainability.

Contact:

Copenhagen, 27 February 2012

Contacts:

Group CFO Trond Westlie - tel. +45 3363 1912

Interim Report is expected to be announced on 16 May 2012.

PROYECTO FRUTICOLA AMBICIOSO EN COLOMBIA ...

2012-02-27T03:29:00.001-08:00

Colombia: Surge otra apuesta por el negocio frutícola en el Valle del Cauca

27 de Febrero de 2012

El Valle del Cauca -que tiene unas de las mejores tierras de Colombia- busca convertirse en potencia de frutas en los próximos años, un sector que podría ser fuente de empleo, exportaciones y desarrollo económico.

Y entre los nuevos proyectos figura la constitución de la empresa Fructificar SAS, promovida por un destacado grupo de reconocidos empresarios del departamento.

La idea es aprovechar la vocación frutícola que ya tienen algunas zonas de la región, sobre todo el centro y el Norte, dijo uno de los voceros del proyecto.

La iniciativa no busca quitarle espacios a la agroindustria azucarera ni a la cañicultura, sino convertirse en otra alternativa para la generación de al menos 60.000 empleos en los próximos años, de ellos 14.500 a mediano plazo.

Para ello se utilizarían alrededor de 9.000 hectáreas de tierras de zonas bajas y de ladera, muchas de las cuales son actualmente poco aprovechadas.

La empresa se enfocaría inicialmente en promover siembras de mango, piña y fresa, cuyo potencial anual productivo estimado es de 278.000, 216.000 y 50.000 toneladas anuales, respectivamente.

La sociedad será creada en los próximos días en Cali, con la asistencia del ministro de Agricultura, Juan Camilo Restrepo; con un capital inicial propuesto de $500 millones destinado a la elaboración del plan de negocios y el aporte de 25 inversionistas.
Cada inversionista aportará $20 millones a la nueva sociedad.

Ejemplos a imitar

El Valle del Cauca pretende con esa iniciativa aprender de ejemplos empresariales como los de Perú, Costa Rica, México y Ecuador, cuyo negocio frutícola es muy exitoso.

Sólo México exporta al mundo US$300 millones anuales en mango, mientras Costa Rica vende US$601 millones de ese misma fruta. (???) Perú exporta US$103 millones en mango y Ecuador US$42 millones en piña.

Cabe destacar la expansión frutícola de Costa Rica que, aunque es un país pequeño, tiene hoy 45.000 hectáreas con siembras de piña y emplea a 20.000 personas. Ecuador posee 6.000 hectáreas de mango y 15 plantas exportadoras de la fruta.

Colombia, según voceros de la iniciativa, podría competir en ese mercado internacional aprovechando la alta demanda de Estados Unidos, Europa y Asia.

Hacia un clúster mundial

De acuerdo con los promotores, la idea del proyecto Fructificar SAS es generar un segundo clúster de clase mundial enfocado en el cultivo de frutas tropicales.

La prioridad es la exportación en fresco e industrial de mango, piña, fresa, papaya y arándano, entre muchas otras frutas con alto potencial productivo en cada ciclo.

Se calcula que las ventas anuales podrían ascender a $293.000 millones y la producción a unas 544.000 toneladas, sólo en mango, piña y fresa, inicialmente.

Hoy, el principal clúster del Valle es el de la agroindustria de la caña, del cual derivan empresas de azúcares, confitería, alcoholes, mieles, productos agroquímicos, papel y hasta de generación eléctrica.

Fuente: El País

http://www.portalfruticola.com/2012/02/27/colombia-surge-otra-apuesta-por-el-negocio-fruticola-en-el-valle-del-cauca/

INDIA: MANGO DRINK SETS WORLD RECORD ...

2012-02-27T03:14:00.001-08:00

Mango drink fountain creates record

India Blooms News Service

Mumbai, Feb 27 (IBNS) Jumpin, popular mango drink from Godrej Hershey’s, entered the Limca Book of Records with a 30 feet Jumpin fountain.

Endowing with a musical fountain, Jumpin created a buzz for its brand as it reached the 35 feet height and achieved the title of the tallest mango fruit drink fountain.

Mahesh Kanchan, VP and Marketing Head of Godrej Hershey Ltd. said, “By creating this world record of the biggest mango fountain, Jumpin wants to announce that it has been restaged, by adding the most expensive and tastiest mango – ‘alphonso’, in its formulation."

"The tallest mango fountain signifies that one can have full on masti with Jumpin," he said.

http://www.indiablooms.com/LifestyleDetailsPage/2012/lifestyleDetails270212b.php

INDIAN MANGO EXPERT ON LOAN TO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO FOR ONE YEAR...

2012-02-27T03:09:00.001-08:00

By Paras Ramoutar, IANS,

Port of Spain : India has sent a scientist to Trinidad and Tobago to assist in the control of a pest affecting the coconut industry in the Caribbean nation. Thousands of acres of coconut plantations, mostly on the eastern seaside areas, are on the verge of extinction.

This is one of the immediate outcomes of a visit to India in January by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, herself of India origin like over 40 percent of the 1.3 million population of the islands.

Avvaru Sujatha, principal scientist and head of the Mango Research Station in India's Andhra Pradesh state, has arrived on a one-year contract to assist in the control of the Red Palm Mite. The Mango Research Station is in Nuzid area of Krishna district.

Vasant Bharath, Trinidad and Tobago's minister of food production, lands and marine exploitation, said the government has started to reap benefits from the scientist's visit.

Sujatha's "services, expertise and experience are all free to the government", he said. Sujatha said she will do her best and "not let down the government in combating the disease".

The Indian scientist who has spent more than 25 years doing research on coconut pests was also praised by Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishra. Mishra expressed confidence in Sujatha's ability to assist Trinidad and Tobago's ailing coconut industry.

Bharath said he was told by disease control agencies across the world that it may take as many as three to four years to fight the the Red Palm Mite, but Sujatha has promised to undertake the task in one year.

He also spoke about an international soft drink manufacturer that has bought large coconut estates in Brazil and South America.

"We can use this as an engine of diversification. We can now bottle and package coconut water in Trinidad and Tobago for export, earning triple times what the coconut is worth simply because its a natural drink," Bharath said.

He said that once the disease comes under control, around 40,000 acres of land could be used to boost the coconut industry.

People from Indian -- mainly from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- were brought to the Caribbean between 1845 and 1917 to work in coconut, cocoa and sugarcane industries.

(Paras Ramoutar can be contacted at paras_ramoutar@yahoo.com)

http://twocircles.net/2012feb27/india_scientist_helping_revive_trinidad_and_tobago_coconut_industry.html

IS THERE A FUTURE FOR MANGOES BY RAIL FROM MEXICO ??? ...

2012-02-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

January 2012 | Feature Stories

In Mexico, Rail is On a Roll

By Merrill Douglas

Increasing demand from manufacturers, improved infrastructure and service, and a campaign to grab more market share promise further growth for rail service within Mexico and across the U.S. border.

MORE TO THE STORY:

Rail is hot in Mexico—and getting hotter every year. The country's largest railroad, Ferrocarril Mexicano (Ferromex), saw its carload volume increase by 6.6 percent in 2011 compared with 2010, and revenues increase by 13.9 percent, according to the company's chief executive officer, Rogelio Vélez.

Mexico's second-largest rail carrier, Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM), reports that it moved 15.9 percent more carloads in the first three quarters of 2011 than in the same period in 2010.

These figures represent the growing demand for rail transportation both domestically and between Mexico and the United States.

The "nearshoring" trend is one driver of this growth. Thanks to high oil prices and rising wages, Asia is no longer the obvious low-cost location for companies that manufacture goods for the U.S. market. The increase in corporations building factories in Mexico has boosted the flow of materials headed south from the United States to Mexico, and finished products headed north.

Mexico's central location is a second factor in the county's rail renaissance. "It's in the middle of two hot markets: North America and South America," says Jim Commiskey, vice president, automotive and Mexico at Dublin, Ohio-based Pacer International, a logistics services provider whose portfolio includes a variety of intermodal freight services. "Mexico provides access to raw goods from the United States, and to countries such as Brazil that produce steel and other manufacturing necessities."

A third cause is the fact that the rail industry in Mexico has been playing catch-up since the nation privatized its railroads in the 1990s.

"Rail in Mexico was underdeveloped because the state-owned railroad company, Nacionales de México, stopped investing in it in the years just before privatization," says Vélez. When the private sector took over, the new rail carriers started improving the network and heavily marketing their services. Plenty of opportunity remains to be tapped.

As Mexican railways invest in upgrades that make their services more reliable, shippers are more apt to consider rail—especially intermodal—as a less expensive alternative to long-haul truck, says Paul Hirsch, vice president of Mexico operations at Hub Group, a provider of intermodal, highway, and logistics services based in Downer's Grove, Ill.

"Many large corporations tried intermodal in the past, when the infrastructure and service providers were inadequate, and found that it didn't work," he notes. "Now they are trying it again."

A BIT OF HISTORY

Mexico's current rail system started to take shape in 1995, when the Mexican government announced its privatization plans. U.S. railroad Kansas City Southern (KCS) and Mexican company Transportación Marítima Mexicana (TMM) formed a joint venture to buy the Northeast Railroad concession. KCS bought out TMM's share in 2005 and changed the railroad's name from Transportación Ferrovaria Mexicana to Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM).

In 1998, mining corporation Grupo Mexico and U.S. railroad Union Pacific (UP) joined forces to buy the Northwest Concession, creating Ferromex.

In 2005, Grupo Mexico bought a third Mexican railroad, Ferrosur, which operated in southeastern Mexico. Having spent several years overcoming legal challenges, Grupo Mexico is currently merging Ferrosur with Ferromex.

Ferromex and KCSM offer cross-border service in partnership with KCS, UP, and BNSF Railway. The U.S. and Mexican railroads pass freight from one jurisdiction to the other at six major border crossings. The U.S. sides of these crossings are in San Ysidro and Calexico, Calif.; Nogales, Ariz.; and El Paso, Eagle Pass, and Laredo, Texas.

Often, the handoff of freight between a Mexican and U.S. railroad involves nothing more than a change of crew because customs import and export paperwork is pre-filed with U.S. and Mexican customs authorities before freight is loaded.

In the case of a UP train crossing onto the KCSM network at Laredo, for example, "the operators get out of the train at the border and hand over the controls to their KCSM counterparts," Commiskey says. "Northbound KCSM trains are handed over to Union Pacific in the same manner for movement into the United States. Employees operating the trains are required to have personal customs documents and paperwork available for entry into the United States and Mexico."

Much of the freight that passes through the international gateways serves the needs of the automotive industry. Pacer, for example, launched its "Mexico Direct" service 20 years ago to serve auto manufacturers with factories in Mexico.

Every major automaker in North America, including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, and Honda, uses Pacer's services to and from Mexico, says Commiskey. Tier I suppliers that serve those manufacturers make up another significant customer group.

"We also serve a variety of electronics manufacturers, particularly in Tijuana and Juarez, and appliance makers in the greater Monterrey and San Luis Potosi areas," he notes.

TWO-WAY TRAFFIC

Manufacturers in Mexico ship finished product north to U.S. markets, while raw materials move south on rail to supply production lines in Mexico.

"One appliance maker, for example, ships rolled steel and blanks south to be stamped into washing machines and refrigerators," Commiskey says.

"More industry is coming to Mexico," says Bernardo Ayala, vice president, marketing and sales for Mexico at UP. "That is increasing demand for raw materials, as well as the need for transportation services to move those products within Mexico to the ports, or to the United States."

Automakers also comprise the top customer segment for Hub Group's services to and from Mexico. After that, Hub's intermodal volume to and from Mexico consists of what's known as FAK—freight all kinds. "Appliances, food products, beverages, and industrial products make up 60 to 70 percent of our total freight," Hirsch says.

Some manufacturers in Mexico have chosen that country as a more economical alternative to China. The nearshoring trend drives an increasing volume of freight along the corridor that connects Mexico's industrial centers with U.S. intermodal terminals such as the one that Kansas City Southern operates in at the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Kansas City, says Chris Gutierrez, president of economic development group Kansas City SmartPort.

"Transportation costs from Mexico into the United States are 75 to 80 percent lower than from Asia, so we're seeing a lot more manufacturing distribution coming into that corridor," Gutierrez says.

Besides touting the advantages of the KCSM intermodal corridor to companies that manufacture in Mexico today, KCS and Kansas City SmartPort are also marketing to companies that currently import from Asia, but are good nearshoring candidates.

Agriculture has also helped swell cross-border traffic. "Bartlett Grain and other agricultural commodity traders have consolidation points in Kansas City and move their freight to Mexico," says Gutierrez.

Along with those major customer segments, some less-obvious industries are boosting volumes on Mexican rail lines. "The growth driver for Ferromex in 2011 has been new railroad cars that are built in Mexico," says Vélez.

Volume in that category surged 88 percent in 2011. Loads of glass bottles increased by 86 percent.

Ferromex parent Grupo Mexico, which operates a large copper mine in Sonora, Mexico, was responsible for another volume jump. In 2010, the mine reopened after a three-year strike.

"Sulfuric acid shipments resumed in 2011, driving Ferromex's 58-percent surge on that commodity," Vélez says. The railroad transports the sulfuric acid, a by-product of copper extraction, for export to the United States and Chile.

Another important factor in the growth of Mexican rail is the emergence of the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, on the Pacific Coast, as an alternative to container ports on the U.S. West Coast. "Lázaro Cárdenas is largely a bulk port, but in the past four or five years it has expanded its container activity," says Gutierrez.

NEW CONTAINER MAGNET

Hutchison Port Holdings opened the first container operations at Lázaro Cárdenas in 2007. "Since then, Lázaro Cárdenas has been the fastest-growing port in North America," says Patrick Ottensmeyer, executive vice president, sales and marketing at KCS, whose sister railroad KCSM provides the only rail service at the port.

Lázaro Cárdenas can currently handle approximately one million 20-foot equivalents (TEUs), and that figure is expected to grow in the long run to 2.2 million to 2.5 million TEUs.

Mexico has announced plans to name a second container concession at Lázaro Cárdenas, which ultimately would offer similar capacity to the Hutchison facility.

Kansas City SmartPort has worked with KCS since the late 1990s to market the Lázaro Cárdenas-to-Kansas City rail corridor. "We pushed both the U.S. importers and Asian exporters to consider the corridor not only for their freight moving into Mexico, but freight coming into the United States," Gutierrez says.

That strategy seems to be paying off. "As of December 2011, our container traffic through Lázaro Cárdenas was up 31 percent through September," says Ottensmeyer. "With continued expansion of container operations at Lázaro, KCS should post solid double-digit volume growth for an extended period."

Along with improving its capacity to move containers, Lázaro Cárdenas will open a new bulk handling facility in 2012. "This facility will increase the volume of heavy, bulk commodities, such as coal and iron ore, that could move through the port," Ottensmeyer says.

Whether containers are moving to and from the ports, or within Mexico, intermodal transportation still offers railroads and intermodal service providers a great deal of opportunity.

"The United States is a mature intermodal market," Hirsch says. "Shippers understand the pros and cons, the rate structure, and the seasonal peaks."

Not so in Mexico, where most freight still moves by truck. "Carriers and service providers still have plenty of market share left to capture by selling the economies of intermodal transportation," he notes.

The improvements Mexican railroads have made to their infrastructure constitute a big selling point. Shipping by rail in Mexico used to be an adventure. "A shipment could take 10 days or 30 days to get to its destination," says Hirsch. "The carrier wouldn't be able to tell you when it would arrive."

Commiskey cites the upgrades KCSM has made to its terminal in Monterrey as another significant improvement.

"In 2007, the ramp in Monterrey was inadequate for the market," he says. Both the road leading into the facility and the ramp itself needed to be upgraded, and the facility needed to be modernized.

All that has changed. "The ramp is completely paved," Commiskey says. "KCSM added a line of track, so there is plenty of room to park equipment, and new lifts speed unloading. The whole terminal is surrounded by chain-link fence and barbed wire, so it is very secure."

The railroads have been making similar upgrades throughout Mexico, and those investments have produced significant benefits for shippers.

Ferromex spent $330 million on new equipment and infrastructure enhancements in 2011, including $72 million to improve the rail line and $35 million to update railyards and support track.

"We've invested $2.1 billion in infrastructure upgrades in the 13 years we've been operating," Vélez notes.

BETTER SECURITY

Along with upgrading rail infrastructure, Mexican railroads and their U.S. partners have been improving security, helping to ensure that freight moving within Mexico or across the border arrives undamaged and free of contraband.

"Both KCSM and Ferromex work hard to ensure that safety procedures in Mexico are equal to the ones in the United States," says Ayala at UP. Those safety measures include using x-ray machines to examine railcar contents, dogs that search trains for hazardous items, and high-speed cameras that monitor passing cars for open doors or broken seals.

If contraband is detected on a train, customs officials can isolate individual intermodal containers for inspection.

KCSM boasts a strong security record. "In 2010, the customer claims rate for theft, vandalism, or accidents for all shipments moving on KCS in Mexico was 0.02 percent," Ottensmeyer says. "That means 99.8 percent of all loads we transported were moved without a customer claim."

The multiple layers of safety and security provisions at KCSM include a focus on maintaining train velocity, which reduces the chance of incidents.

"The trains are really moving now," says Hirsch. "They don't stop, so no one can break into a train at rest."

Whether in motion or stopped, double-stacked intermodal containers loaded into gondola cars present a formidable obstacle to criminals. One container rides low in the car's well, making it impossible to open the door more than three feet, and the second car rides on top. "Most thieves will target trucks, rather than climb to the top of 20-foot-tall trains with a blowtorch to try to break in," Commiskey says.

Criminal activity in Mexico has made rail carriers' security challenges tougher in recent years. At Ferromex, recent initiatives to boost security include replacing private security guards—who are not allowed to carry guns—with armed Federal Police officers. Those officers protect the trains both in-transit and in the yards.

"We pay for the security that they provide us," Vélez says. But Ferromex has not been able to boost the number of armed officers as quickly as company officials would like.

While the safety of shippers' freight is of paramount importance, Ferromex also looks to the police to safeguard its own operations. Particularly challenging to the railroad were thieves in the state of Zacatecas who were stealing diesel from engines.

Not only did Ferromex lose money on the fuel, but the thefts interrupted operations. "Fifteen or 20 locomotives were stranded there because we had to refuel them," Vélez says. Since federal officers started protecting the equipment in Zacatecas in September 2011, those losses have stopped.

Rail transportation in Mexico still enjoys a great deal of growth potential. Rail carries about 42 percent of freight in the United States and 60 percent in Canada, but only 26 percent in Mexico. "If we concentrate on boosting that share to 35 or 40 percent," says Vélez, "our industry will gain real volume growth opportunities."

http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/in-mexico-rail-is-on-a-roll/#.T0Lw5Q5SIw0.twitter

COCA-COLA'S MANGO DRINK COMMERCIAL ...

2012-02-26T09:31:00.002-08:00

Anytime, anywhere mango
With a new television commercial, Coca-Cola's bottled mango-flavoured drink Maaza hopes to strengthen its association with the fruit in an engaging manner

Alokananda Chakraborty / Feb 27, 2012, 00:15 IST

The television commercial opens on a group of mango vendors. It is the fag end of the mango season and the three vendors prepare to try their hand at a new trade. One becomes a dentist, another takes a shot at palmistry and the third wants to prove his mettle as a mechanic. Bad decision. They just don’t seem to get their act right. As they loll under a tree thinking what next, a boy sitting on the tree springs a surprise. Haven’t they heard of Maaza, the “all season mango”? Bingo! The road ahead is as clear as sunlight. The three vendors can now sell Maaza throughout the year. Get the drift? “Aam ka season khatam ho sakta hai, lekin maaza-ka nahin.”

In other words, Maaza is not simply an answer for the die-hard mango lover who craves mangoes through the year; it is also a solution for those whose livelihood depends on the seasonal fruit. With this story, told in the brand’s signature fun style, beverage maker Coca-Cola India wants to make its mango-based drink Maaza a substitute for mango with a value add — that it is available through the year.

Two things stand out in the Har mausam aam commercial. First, it pushes the story through the experiences of the vendor and not the Maaza drinker, who has been protagonist in most Maaza ads in recent years. The mango-obsessed man who made a mango tree his permanent abode for the last three years or so is conspicuous by his absence.

Two, last year’s campaign proposed that Maaza is a drink that one should take time to relish rather than gulp down in a jiffy as if it were just another bottled drink. The accent was on the taste of the product and the tagline went, “Jaldi kya hai?” The new piece of communication is interesting because it goes back to the earlier strategy to push the drink as a substitute for a mango (Bina gutli wala aam). (In an earlier campaign Maaza was projected an enabler to building friendships and creating fun moments. The campaign, featuring actor Satish Shah, talked about “Yaari Dosti” and replaced the previous tagline of “Taaza mango. Maaza mango”.)

The Coca-Cola spokesperson insists there was nothing inherently wrong in the tack the brand followed last year and that the new campaign has been designed to reinforce the fact that Maaza offers a real mango experience, only better, being available throughout the year. The campaign, conceptualised by Leo Burnet (Delhi) and directed by Abhijeet Chowdhary of QED films, is based on the insight that if we are passionate about something, every minute we have to wait for it seems like an eternity. So why not make the best of the next best thing!

Andriy Avramenko, vice-president, juice business, Coca-Cola India, says the thought really is to strengthen brand Maaza’s strong association with the mango in a very entertaining and engaging manner. “The whole thing about mango is the experience of eating the fruit and you have a wide variety available in the country,” he adds. “The latest campaign for Maaza has been designed to give all mango lovers the opportunity to enjoy the taste of the delicious fruit with new a variety, that is, Maaza. The best thing is this particular variety gives mango loyalists the freedom to gratify their mango craving anytime they want.”

The mango drinks market is among the most competitive. The segment currently account for 90 per cent of the fruit juice market in India. Maaza dominates the category and competes mainly with PepsiCo’s Slice and Frooti, manufactured by Parle Agro. As per industry estimates, the packaged mango drinks market is close to Rs 400 crore and Maaza holds a market share of almost 36 per cent. “We will ensure that we do complete justice to the brand in order for it to be able to retain its leading position. We have allocated a substantial budget for the brand this year,” says Avramenko.

In addition to leveraging mass media advertising, Maaza’s integrated communication plan includes roll out of a range of initiatives spanning out-of-home media, point of sale merchandise and on-ground activations across key markets.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/anytime-anywhere-mango/465886/

CUBA & CHINA SPEND VENEZUELA'S MILLIONS ....

2012-02-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

Slow rail rehab project with Cuban participation facing more delays

After seven years, the $340 million rehabilitation of Venezuela’s Central-West railroad still is incomplete, an official of Venezuela’s Instituto de Ferrocarriles del Estado (IFE) said March 31 as part of a larger announcement, according to Agencia Venezolana de Noticias.

The official didn’t explain the delays of the project connecting Barquisimeto to Puerto Cabello, whose completion AVN reported last year had been expected for the end of 2010.

Solcar, a unit of state railroad company Unión de Ferrocarriles de Cuba, is a 49-percent partner in Caracas-based Empresa para la Infraestructura Ferroviaria Latinoamericana (Ferrolasa SA), which has been in charge of the project since 2007, according to opposition publication Veneconomía.

The rehabilitation of the Central-West railroad, dubbed “the slowest railroad of the world” by Veneconomía, has a history of delays. The Venezuelan government created the Ferrolasa joint venture in 2006, after canceling a 2004 contract with China’s Yankuang Group Corp. As of late 2005, Yankuang had completed only 10 percent of the project. Completion had originally been expected for September 2006.

The Venezuelan government has not explained the delays, but opposition sources talked about labor strife under the Chinese management. IFE has had its third president since 2006.

Cuba’s involvement in the project has not been described publicly in detail, but IFE reported that professionals from the island have assisted Venezuelan technicians and engineers.

The Central-West railroad project includes reconstruction of the 21-mile Barquisimeto-Yaritagua segment, the 85-mile Yaritagua-Puerto Cabello segment and the 42-mile Yaritagua-Acarigua segment, which was “66 percent complete” as of early this year, according to an IFE official.

The Central-West railroad is the first component of Venezuela’s $22.5 billion plan to rehab and build more than 8,000 miles of railroad by 2030. The National Railway Development Plan is partly financed by China.

Ferrolasa is also providing technical assistance, basic engineering and project engineering to the $7.5 billion Tinaco-Anaco line in central Venezuela, which is being built by China’s CREC.

http://www.cubastandard.com/2011/03/31/slow-rail-rehab-project-with-cuban-participation-facing-more-delays/

CHAVEZ'S Great Train Robbery .....

2012-02-26T09:08:00.001-08:00

February 22, 2012, 4:32 AM

Chávez’s Great Train Robbery

By FRANCISCO TORO

ReutersPresident Hugo Chávez of Venezuela at a factory in Barinas on Tuesday.

ORTIZ, Venezuela — Isolated, scrubby and scorching hot, the edge of Venezuela’s central plains just south of the heavily populated coastal highlands isn’t exactly tourist-brochure material. A few towns and no cities are scattered throughout the area, and agriculture there has been depressed for years. Although its sparseness would seem to make this part of the plains particularly ill-suited as the location for a massive new high-speed rail project, sure enough, that’s exactly what state planners are building there: a $200 million railway from Tinaco, a small town about an eight hours’ drive southwest from Caracas, to Anaco, 290 miles to the east.

It’s not just a train to nowhere. It’s a train from nowhere to nowhere.

But never mind that. The Venezuelan government says it will begin passenger services on the line later this year, running Chinese trains that go 135 miles per hour. Who on earth do they imagine is going to ride this thing? New people, people who don’t live anywhere near it yet.

The line is part of a grandiose, multidecade government plan to “rebalance” Venezuela’s population away from the compact coastal strip, where more than 65 percent of Venezuela’s 29 million people live, and toward the “Orinoco-Apure axis” farther south, where about 17 percent live. The execution is sometimes perverse: about midway on the Tinaco-Anaco line, for example, the tracks pass through Ortiz, a town of 8,000 people, instead of going through San Juan de Los Morros, a town of more than 120,000 people just 15 miles north of here.

Plans have already been put forward to extend the line past Tinaco and Anaco and connect cities that people might actually want to travel to, like Barquisimeto and Puerto La Cruz. But no detailed engineering studies have been carried out on extensions, and construction is years, if not decades, away. The same goes for the other 14 railway lines the government has said it wants to build by 2030.

Still, slogans about reasserting Venezuela’s greatness by populating the plains are repeated incessantly on state television, with little concern for what the people who will be asked to do the peopling think about all this. The reasons so many Venezuelans chose to settle in the coastal highlands rather than the central plains in the first place — quick access to the sea, better agricultural lands, respite from the punishing heat and endemic malaria — never quite enter the picture. Socialist planners in Caracas have determined that too many people have been enjoying a cool, productive and healthy lifestyle for too long.

A Chinese government loan is financing the rail project — part of a $7.5 billion deal — and a Chinese state-owned firm has been brought in to do the construction. This means the engineering and technical work on the line have been carried out by Chinese nationals living in comfortable new compounds, protected from the locals by electrified fencing. At the barracks near Ortiz, the red flag of the People’s Republic of China flutters over the ocher prefab buildings where Chinese engineers are reasserting Caracas’s sovereignty over the plains.

Local people perform only unskilled physical work on the line, and they’re grateful even for that. The towns along the proposed railway are tiny and uniformly poor. Basic road, water and electric infrastructure is precarious, with frequent power cuts. The lack of roads or basic irrigation prevents vast tracts of land from being farmed. But while the needs of the real campesinos living along the railway are going ignored, hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent on a high-speed train network for the notional people whom the government hopes one day to attract away from Venezuela’s urban, industrial heartlands.

That’s the thing about Socialist central planners: they don’t start with the world as it is and ask themselves how to make it better for the people living in it. They start with the world as they imagine it ought to be and force that vision onto the people whether the people want it or not.

Francisco Toro blogs about the Chávez era at CaracasChronicles.com.

CHINA SENDS 6,000 "LABORERS" TO BUILD RAILROAD IN VENEZUELA ...

2012-02-26T08:59:00.000-08:00

IMO NOTE: Slavery is alive and thriving in South America as recent stories have emerged in Argentina, Brazil and now Venezuela.....

Similar project in Mali, africa...

Nelson Bocaranda S. ‏ @NelsonBocaranda
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"Me informan que los chinos uniformados son parte de 6000 obreros traídos desde China para obras suyas contratadas por el gobierno.Tren #1"

"I have been informed that the uniformed Chinese in Venezuela are part of 6,000 "Laborers" brought from China to construct projects contracted by the Venezuelan Government. Train #1"

~ Nelson Bocaranda S.

Reporter for El Universal Newspaper

Caracas, Venezuela

Caption reads "Deep concerns for local workers".....

China Railway Group Limited

China Railway Group Limited (CREC) is a super-large integrated construction group under the supervision of State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Committee of the State Council. Its business scope encompasses survey and design, construction and installation, industrial manufacturing, property development, resources investment, consulting and supervision, financing and investment, and other business. Being the largest construction contractor in China and Asia, and second largest in the world, CREC is ranked 137 in Fortune Global 500 for the year 2010.

As one of the Chinese enterprises which stepped into the international contracting market the very earliest, CREC has been undertaking over 1000 medium-sized and mega-projects in 35 African countries with its accumulated contract value for as much as USD 10.2 billion, turnover for USD 6 billion, imports and exports for USD 1 billion, and overseas laborers reached over 90 thousand. For many years, CREC has been keeping its vision together with the local societies for common development, and established a very positive image in Africa by being much involved in the local communities. The successful projects implemented by CREC are as blossoming flowers spread on the African Continent, which bring benefits for the local people and deeply move them as well.

http://english.cri.cn/7146/2010/10/14/2041s599390.htm

A NEW "DAWN" FOR ALBA ....TIME TO FACE THE MUSIC ...

2012-02-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

HUMAN RIGHTS/LATIN AMERICA
‘Gang of 5’ betrays Latin American tradition

BY GABRIEL MARCELLA
MARCELLA@PA.NET

The presidents of the Americas will meet in Cartagena, Colombia on April 14-15. Never has there been so much need for cooperation in hemispheric relations, yet never have the divisions been so gaping. Those fissures divide one set of countries that espouse democracy and human rights and another that are dismantling those very values.

Nowhere is this clearer than the siege against human rights. A coalition of governments that are part of ALBA (“dawn” in Spanish; the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America), the brainchild of Hugo Chávez supported by President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Evo Morales, Daniel Ortega, and the Castro regime, voted against the U.N. General Assembly resolution to condemn the atrocities visited upon the people of Syria by the murderous government of Bashar Al-Assad. Only seven other countries voted against the resolution, while 138 voted for it.

The human rights rejectionists have even added to the lexicon of international affairs — “humanitarian imperialism,” the belief that via mandate from the U.N.Security Council, the international community should not have assisted Libyans to free themselves from the tender embrace of Moammar Gadhafi.

In addition, the gang of five is also trying to emasculate one of the bulwarks of human rights and democratic accountability — the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). They do so because they are vulnerable to criticism by the world community and their own people about human rights violations, to include attacks against the press and neutralizing the judicial systems.

And their defense is the refuge that tyrants have used. It’s called cultural relativism — the notion that they should not be judged by standards that apply to other nations, that the standards of Latin America are different and morally superior to those held by powerful countries. Correa is the most loquacious exponent. He argues that the IACHR should be weakened because it is an ethnocentric and neo-colonialist institution of the United States.

This statesman in 2010 told an audience at the University of Illinois (from which he holds a doctorate in economics): “If we make a mistake in Latin America, we throw stones at the U.S. Embassy,” criticizing the old Latin American inclination to shift blame for failure to outsiders.

The U.N. vote and the attack on human rights commission is a reversal of epic proportions. Latin American statesmen have been leaders in defending human rights. In this regard, the Latin American bloc of 20 nations, the largest one in the United Nations at the time, was very influential in the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Their ideas drew from their historical experience and other sources on human rights. One was the deep influence of the 16th century Dominican missionary and champion of the Indians, Bartolomé de las Casas. In addition, papal encyclicals on human dignity such as Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno , had enormous impact on Latin American human rights philosophy. The evidence coming out in May 1945 about the Holocaust in the concentration camps shocked consciences.

The principles and provisions that inspired the Universal Declaration were based on the creative diplomatic work of a remarkable cohort of statesmen and intellectuals, notably from Cuba, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. They included scholar diplomat Jorge Carrera Andrade of Ecuador and other luminaries. Indeed, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights bears almost verbatim many ideas about human rights and social justice that first emerged in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, adopted at Bogotá in 1948.

As the presidents gather at Cartagena, they must commit to strengthening the splendid foundation erected long ago and continue to advance the unique Latin American contribution to international peace and human dignity.

Gabriel Marcella is adjunct professor at the Army War College. He has written extensively on Latin American issues.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/22/2655450/gang-of-5-betrays-latin-american.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/22/2655450/gang-of-5-betrays-latin-american.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

AS CHAVEZ PREPARES TO MEET THE "GRIM REAPER", CORREA CALLS FOR ELECTIONS IN ECUADOR ...

2012-02-26T08:36:00.001-08:00

Ecuador's presidential election set for February 2013

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* Socialist leader popular with the poor

* Opposition is fragmented

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Ecuador's next presidential election will be held on Feb. 17 of next year, authorities announced on Friday, with President Rafael Correa the favorite to win re-election should he run.

The South American OPEC nation's vote had been set for January 2013, but was put back a month to allow a full year to elapse after the reform of election rules.

Correa says his family and party must decide if he seeks re-election, but he has dropped hints he will.

Part of a leftist grouping in the region led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Correa, 49, took power in 2007 vowing to boost state revenue from Ecuador's natural resources and use the money to help alleviate poverty.

His government defaulted on billions of dollars of foreign debt in 2008, rewrote oil contracts with foreign companies and is now negotiating with mining concerns to ensure the government maximizes profit from exploration.

Heavy social and infrastructure spending has kept Correa popular. He had a 55 percent approval rating in the most recent opinion poll last month.

Ecuador's opposition political parties remain fragmented and without a single figure seen capable of challenging Correa, a U.S.-educated economist. He says his worst enemy is a hostile local media with which he spars constantly.

Detractors say Correa is an authoritarian in the tradition of Latin America's strongmen or "caudillos." Supporters, especially among the poor, revere him.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/24/ecuador-election-idUSL2E8DOELU20120224

TOP LOGISTICS OPERATOR FOR DRUG CARTEL REPORTEDLY CAPTURED IN GUATEMALA ...

2012-02-26T08:31:00.002-08:00

Friday, 24 February 2012 14:32
Guatemala Claims Captured 'El Sapo' Is Zetas' Top Logistics Man

Written by Jake Harper

Guatemalan officials claim that recently-arrested Alvaro Gomez Sanchez, alias "El Sapo," was responsible for overseeing the logistics and finances of Zetas' operations in the country.

Gomez, an alleged high-ranking lieutenant for drug trafficker Horst Walther Overdick, was arrested in Baja Verapaz on Friday. Now authorities have said he was a top coordinator of the Zetas' activies, using bribes and coercion to tame various officials, including politicians, police, prosecutors, and judges, in order to facilitate drug trafficking operations.

InSight Crime Analysis

Overdick has not been formally charged with a crime, and officially acts as a purchaser and purveyor of cardamom. Gomez comes from a cardamom-producing family, and supposedly allied himself with Overdick using shipments of the product as a cover for drug trafficking.

According to prosecutors, Overdick and Gomez allied themselves with the Zetas in order to murder Juan Leon, boss of the Leones criminal organization, in March 2008. Using the expertise of Gomez and Overdick, the Zetas were able to establish widescale operations in the country.

InSight Crime initially suggested that Gomez would be easily replaced in the Overdick-Zetas organization, but the new information regarding his role may mean that the arrest is more significant than at first thought. Though the network will most likely be able to maintain its contacts, Gomez’s capture could be a serious blow to the logistical side of operations.

http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/2273-guatemala-claims-captured-el-sapo-is-zetas-top-logistics-man

FIN DEL ALBA ??? ...UN NUEVO PANORAMA SIN CHAVEZ PARA EL "CARTEL DE LOS SOLES" ...

2012-02-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

Países aliados de Chávez se preparan ante posible fin de ayuda

El presidente venezolano Hugo Chávez seca el sudor de su frente durante un concierto en su honor en el teatro Teresa Carreño de Caracas, Venezuela, el jueves 23 de febrero de 2012. Chávez viajó a Cuba el viernes para someterse a una cirugía de emergencia para extirparle un tumor que, dice, probablemente sea maligno. Fernando Llano / Foto AP

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Contenido Relacionado

POR FRANK BAJAK

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LIMA -- Millones de personas que nunca han puesto un pie en Venezuela tienen interés en la supervivencia física y política del presidente venezolano Hugo Chávez en momentos en que el otrora infatigable hombre fuerte de izquierda se somete a una cirugía en Cuba para extirpar un tumor que, dice, es probablemente maligno.

Los más vinculados al destino de Chávez radican en Nicaragua y Cuba, países que han recibido de Venezuela miles de millones de dólares en regalos, préstamos a largo plazo y petróleo a bajo precio. Ambos países han tomado medidas limitadas para amortiguar el golpe en caso de que la ayuda venezolana llegue a su fin.

Otros países como Bolivia y República Dominicana también han sido beneficiados.

Muchos tienen buenas razones para prepararse para el fin de la ayuda en momentos en que el mandatario izquierdista es operado de nuevo después de que en junio le extirparon un tumor del tamaño de una pelota de béisbol de la misma zona pélvica.

Chávez ha insistido en que sus lazos económicos con Cuba y otros países aliados en su bloque izquierdista tienen un sentido financiero, más allá de la solidaridad revolucionaria. Pero sus críticos sostienen que en la mayoría de los casos Chávez intenta comprar lealtades y contrarrestar la influencia estadounidense.

El rival de Chávez en las elecciones presidenciales de octubre, el gobernador Henrique Capriles, pondría fin al "asimétrico" favoritismo económico de Venezuela y la ayuda al extranjero basada en ideologías, dijo Carlos Romero, un asesor del candidato en materia de política exterior.

Venezuela continuaría proveyendo petróleo subsidiado a "los países más pobres como Haití, pero no va haber subsidios para países como Cuba o países lejanos como es el caso de Siria", dijo.

Las encuestas muestran a Capriles cerca de Chávez, y los analistas políticos señalan que sus posibilidades de derrocar a Chávez pueden mejorar en caso de que el estado de salud del mandatario de 57 años empeore.

"Yo estoy erizado (asustado). No quiero ni pensar en lo que puede pasar aquí si le sucede algo malo a Chávez. Eso para nosotros sería terrible", dijo Pedro Iglesias, un jubilado de 72 años que vive en el centro de La Habana.

El país comunista depende de Venezuela para dos tercios de su petróleo, de acuerdo con los analistas, y el flujo venezolano de efectivo a cambio de servicios como los proporcionados por médicos y entrenadores deportivos asciende a cerca de 5.000 millones de dólares anuales. La cantidad representa aproximadamente el 15% de la economía cubana durante el 2008, el último año en que Cuba publicó cifras.

Sin la ayuda, Cuba podría necesitar un severo racionamiento de alimentos y sufriría extensos cortes de electricidad como los registrados hace dos décadas durante el llamado "Período Especial" que siguió a la disolución de su anterior patrocinador, la Unión Soviética.

Funcionarios cubanos se han negado a comentar sobre la manera en que la isla se ajustaría en caso de que terminara la ayuda de Venezuela.

Pero el mandatario cubano Raúl Castro ha presionado a favor de modestas reformas de mercado libre y recientemente abrió las aguas de la isla para la explotación petrolera. La empresa española Repsol YPF inició perforaciones de exploración el mes pasado pero tomaría al menos tres años producir crudo comercialmente viable en caso de que las perforaciones sean exitosas.

Michael Shifter, presidente de Diálogo Interamericano, un centro de investigación con sede en Washington, dijo que las reformas de Cuba "son en parte un esfuerzo para anticipar una posible reducción o corte".

El analista petrolero Jorge Piñón, de la Universidad de Texas, dijo que los líderes cubanos han demostrado que aprendieron de la pérdida del petróleo soviético a principios de la década de 1990.

"El gobierno cubano está muy consciente de los riesgos que enfrenta su economía con la pérdida de Venezuela", dijo Piñón.

"El gobierno de #Cuba está en el bolsillo de #Chavez... saqueándole y tomando los recursos de #Venezuela", dijo el viernes a través de Twitter la famosa bloguera cubana Yoani Sánchez, mientras el presidente venezolano viajaba rumbo a la isla. "Se especula por acá de un posible 2do Periodo Especial si la salud de #Chavez empeora".

---

Los periodistas de The Associated Press Paul Haven en La Habana; Peter Orsi y Vivian Sequera en Caracas, Venezuela; Filadelfo Alemán en Managua, Nicaragua; y Ezequiel López en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana, contribuyeron con este despacho.

---

Frank Bajak es director de noticias para la región andina de The Associated Press.

Está en Twitter como @fbajak

http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2012/02/25/1135984/paises-aliados-de-chavez-se-preparan.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2012/02/25/1135984/paises-aliados-de-chavez-se-preparan.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

Dr. Bhaskar Savani of SAVANI FARMS asks: Where is NMB Support ??? ...

2012-02-26T07:51:00.002-08:00

IMO NOTE: Here are highlights from Dr. Bhaskar Savani's annual presentation at the Fairchild Tropical Biological gardens mango festival.

The National Mango Board has a sordid history of comissioning slanted studies to justify the continued use of Hot water treatment as opposed to alternatives that allow the consumer to access more flavorful mango cultivars.

Here is Dr. Savani's presentation:

Hot water immersion is an efficient treatment to disinfest mango fruit of fruit flies and is the most common quarantine heat treatment in use today.

The USDA (APHIS) approved quarantine treatment for fruit flies in mangoes in 1987.

Hot water treatments have been used by growers in several countries as quarantine treatments for mango and papaya fruits.

Used to treat mangoes with hot water immersion at a temperature of 115 to 116oF (46.1 to 46.5oC) for 65 to 110 minutes, depending on fruit weight and variety for export to the U.S.

There are approximately:

75 facilities in Mexico,

5 in Ecuador,

6 in Guatemala,

08 in Peru and 10 in Brazil.

Hydro-cooling is now allowed immediately following the hot water treatment if 10 minutes is added to the heat treatment time, or fruit may be hydro- cooled after a waiting period of at least 30 minutes at ambient temperature. The hydro-cooler water must be no colder than 70oF (21.1oC), according to APHIS.

Small fruit are generally damaged more readily by heat compared to large fruit, in part because they heat more quickly.

The temperature and immersion time affects potential damage of mango fruit such as skin scalding, lenticel spotting, and retention of unripe starchy areas in mango flesh (stem end cavity) Paull and Armstrong (1994)

The damages vary by cultivar.

Mango Tolerance to Hot Water Hot water immersion can damage the quality of mango fruit (Yahia and Campos, 2000)

Vapor Heat or Forced-Hot Air

Vapor heat, the oldest of the three methods of quarantine heat treatment.

Forced hot-air and vapor heat treatment equipment requires more engineering and somewhat more complex computer programs to operate and monitor the treatment parameters and equipment.

Forced Hot-Air Heating Treatment (FHAT)

Forced hot-air, also known as high-temperature forced air, is a modification of the vapor heat treatment developed by Armstrong et al. (1989) to kill Mediterranean fruit fly, melon fly and oriental fruit fly eggs and larvae in papaya.

High Temperature Controlled Atmospheres (CATTS)

This treatment combines the stress of heat with that of atmospheric stress

German physicist W.C. Roentgen discovered X-rays 1895

French physicist A.H. Becqueral discovered radiation being emitted from uranium

British Patent issued in 1905 to J. Appleby and A.J. Banks for their invention, “ to bring about an improvement in the condition of foodstuffs and their general keeping quality”

US patent issued to D.C. Gillett in 1918 “for an apparatus to preserving organic materials by use of X-rays.

1921 – USDA scientist recommended the use of X-rays to control trichinae in pork

1947: pulsed electron accelerator was developed (Capacitron) by A. Brasch and W. Huber , “ foodstuff and meat can be sterilized by high-energy electron pulses”

1951 B.E. Proctor and S.A. Goldblith reviewed these early studies to lay the foundation for food irradiation

Table of the history of food irradiation

1895 Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-rays ("bremsstrahlung", German for radiation produced by deceleration)

1896 Antoine Henri Becquerel discovers natural radioactivity; Minck proposes the therapeutic use[22]

1904 Samuel Prescott describes the bactericide effects Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)[23]

1906 Appleby & Banks: UK patent to use radioactive isotopes to irradiate particulate food in a flowing bed[24]

1918 Gillett: U.S. Patent to use X-rays for the preservation of food[25]

1921 Schwartz describes the elimination of Trichinella from food[26]

1930 Wuest: French patent on food irradiation[27]

1943 MIT becomes active in the field of food preservation for the U.S. Army[28]

1951 U.S. Atomic Energy Commission begins to co-ordinate national research activities

1958 World first commercial food irradiation (spices) at Stuttgart, Germany[29]

1970 Establishment of the International Food Irradiation Project (IFIP), head quarters at the Federal Research Centre for Food Preservation, Karlsruhe, Germany

1980 FAO/IAEA/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Irradiation recommends the clearance generally up to 10 kGy "overall average dose"

1983 Codex Alimentarius General Standard for Irradiated Foods: any food at a maximum "overall average dose" of 10 kGy

1997 FAO/IAEA/WHO Joint Study Group on High-Dose Irradiation recommends to lift any upper dose limit

2003 Codex Alimentarius General Standard for Irradiated Foods: no longer any upper dose limit

2007 First Legal Import of Indian Mango using gamma radiation technology- Lifting 18 years Ban of Indian Mangoes!

This type of radiation has sufficient energy to remove electrons from atoms or molecules leading to the formation of ions

Sources of ionizing radiation are

Artificially created isotopes using nuclear reactors (cobalt-60)

Linear accelerators (LINAC)

Isotope based radiation

Gamma radiation eg., cobalt and cesium

Machine generated (linear accelerators)

Electron Beam (E-Beam) : electrons

X-ray: photons

Electron Beam Animation

üCommodities have to be approved by USDA-APHIS

üCommodities should not harbor insects and pests that could devastate US agriculture

üCertain commodities have to be treated by specific technologies depending on type and country of origin and growing location

Irradiation dose measured in Grays (Gy) or kilo Grays (kGy)

Example,

Frozen ground beef ~ 2 kGy

Fresh produce ~ 1.5 kGy

Phytosanitary application: 0.4 kGy

Food irradiation approved in over 40 different countries

There are worldwide standards related to food irradiation

Approved by Codex Commission for international trade

US has the largest number of approvals

Many countries follow US approval list

•European Union currently approves only spices, herbs & vegetable seasonings

Study after study shows that consumers (if provided accurate information) will pay a premium for irradiated foods because of food safety concerns

If irradiated products are available, consumers will purchase them

There is no product (to our understanding) that has ever been removed from stores because of consumer complaints

Consumers will never purchase irradiated foods if they are NOT available!

Why?

Is there a driving force?

What is the extra cost?

Will consumers accept it?

How will it affect my bottom-line?

What products can be irradiated?

Where can I get the products irradiated?

Different players along supply chains have different priorities

Growers

Distributors

Retailers

Food safety Vs shelf life

Value proposition for a retailer versus a distributor

Food irradiation SHOULD NEVER be used as a clean-up technology

Food irradiation SHOULD ONLY be used as an integral step of comprehensive GAP, GMP, HACCP plans

Consider food irradiation as the “finishing touch” of a portrait!

There is no validated pathogen kill-step in fresh produce supply chain

What do 3rd party audits guarantee?

Approximately 15-18,000,000 pounds (8,000 MT) of ground beef irradiated annually in USA

Approximately 8,000,000 pounds (4,000 MT ) of produce irradiated annually

primarily for insect disinfestations

Approximately 175,000,000 pounds (70-80,000 MT) of spices irradiated annually

Lab studies on quality

Dose response studies on blueberries

Cold Pasteurization Vs Hot Water Treatment

USDA - APHIS Mission

To ensure an abundant, high-quality, and varied food supply

To strengthen the marketability of U.S. agriculture

To preserve U.S. ecosystems and protect against invasive species

Phytosanitary Treatments

Agricultural commodities may become infested with plant pests and carry these pests across borders.

Strategies to mitigate the risk from pests include field measures, inspection, and phytosanitary treatments.

Treatments include:

Fumigation– methyl bromide

Heat – hot water, steam, hot air

Cold treatment

Irradiation

Irradiation is a Promising Treatment

It is effective against a wide range of pests.

It has little impact on the commodity quality.

Together, these provide:

A great alternative to the use of methyl bromide.

An excellent treatment for commodities for which no treatment exists.

A simple alternative to complex systems approaches.

An attractive option for commodities that are damaged by other treatments such as heat.

USDA is Facilitating the Use of Irradiation

Supporting research.

Developing regulations, policies, agreements, and standards.

Establishing programs in the US and overseas.

Research

USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) develops new pest specific and generic doses.

Research at U.S. labs.

Cooperative international research programs.

USDA ARS and U.S. universities perform quality testing of irradiated fruit.

Regulations

October 23, 2002: Overall requirements for irradiation as a quarantine treatment

(Closely followed ISPM 18)

January 27, 2006: Established generic doses for all insects (400 Gy) and for fruit flies (150 Gy).

2007-Present:

Approval of importation of irradiated fruit from several countries.

Establish pest specific doses.

Relative Tolerance to Irradiation

High tolerance

Apple, cherry date, guava, longan, cantaloupe, nectarine, papaya, rambutan, raspberry, strawberry, tomato

Medium tolerance

Apricot, banana, cherimoya, fig, grapefruit, kumquat, loquat, litchi, orange, passion fruit, pear, pineapple, plum, tangelo, tangerine

Low tolerance

Avocado, cucumber, grape, green bean, lemon

Regulations: Eligible Commodities

Regulations: Required Doses (Gy)

Policies and Agreements: FEWP

Irradiation Treatment Framework Equivalency Workplan (FEWP).

Establishes a bilateral agreement between importing and exporting country.

Sets fundamental requirements to allow the use of irradiation for phytosanitary treatments.

Requires implementation of regulations for irradiation of agricultural commodities.

Provides for reciprocal trade in irradiated agricultural commodities.

9 Countries have signed the Framework Agreement.

Countries That Have Signed the FEWP

Philippines

India

Thailand

Viet Nam

Malaysia

South Africa

Mexico

Pakistan

Laos

Operational Programs

Four types:

Preclearance– Treatment of foreign origin commodities in the country of origin.

Port of entry– Treatment of foreign origin commodities in the U.S.

Internal Quarantine– Movement with the U.S.

Export– Treatment of US products for export.

Key program components:

Inspection

Treatment oversight

Safeguarding

Documentation

Program History

2000 Hawaii:

Hawaii Pride facility opens on the Island of Hawaii.

Papaya, Sweet Potatoes, Longans, Carambola, etc…

2007 India:

KRUSHK facility certified in April 2007.

Alfonso Mangoes.

2007 Thailand:

Thai Irradiation Center (TIC) certified October 2007.

Isotron Thailand certified March 2008.

Mangoes, Mangosteens, Lychees, Longans, Rambutans, Pineapples.

Program History (cont)

2008 Viet Nam:

Son Son Corporation certified August 2008.

An Phu Irradiation JSC certified July 2009.

Dragon Fruit.

2008 Mexico:

Sterigenics certified Sept 2008.

Guavas, Mangoes, Citrus, Chile Manzano, etc…

2009 Mainland US:

Sadex certified November 2009.

FTSI certified March 2011.

Various commodities for import and export.

Program Highlights

More than 30 million Kg (70 million lbs) of fruit treated to date.

Products have been well received, no known cases of consumer rejection due to treatment.

Opened new markets for at least 12 commodities.

Replaced methyl bromide treatment for 2 commodities.

No treatment failures.

No pest finds.

Program Highlights: Mexico

Mexico has led the programs in treatment volumes.

Over 11 million Kg of fruit treated at one facility!

Steady increase over time.

Key reasons for success:

Well established fruit industry.

Multiple commodities.

Good logistics.

Low transit costs to the US.

Well managed irradiation facility.

Good market for the fruit in the US.

Low USDA program costs.

Future Expansion of Programs

First Port of Entry Program: Mangoes from Pakistan expected to begin June 2011.

Import/ export facilities in the US:

Gulfport, MS– Expected 2012.

US / Mexico border – several potential facilities.

Preclearance programs expected:

South Africa– September 2011.

Malaysia– July 2011.

Mexico– Expansion with a new facility in June 2011.

Peru, Brazil, Philippines soon???

Develop exports.

Export Program Future: Peaches to Mexico

Peach growers in the Southeast U.S. have been looking for an effective mitigation for export of peaches to Mexico for several years.

USDA worked with the peach growers, irradiation industry, and Chapman University to conduct quality and feasibility studies.

Peach quality was minimally impacted after irradiation at 1000 Gy.

Peach exports to Mexico expected to begin in June 2011.

Looking Forward: Challenges and Areas for Improvement

Inefficient supply chain/ logistics.

Lack of economy of scale.

Commodity Output

Cost of USDA programs.

Regulatory restraints.

Fruit quality.

Logistics and Handling Improvements

Locate irradiation facilities near ports and commodity growing areas.

Design and build product specific facilities to meet the needs of the fruit industry.

Standardize packaging to minimize costs associated with repeated dose mapping.

Create centralized commodity inspection centers.

Increase Program Scale

Program costs should be considered on per unit basis: Cost per box or cost per Kg.

The more fruit treated, the lower the cost per unit.

Increase the number of commodities eligible for treatment.

Increase the volume of fruit treated.

Condense shipping season based on seasonality of fruit

Potential Programmatic Changes

USDA programs can be expensive:

By law, full cost recovery for inspector to be stationed overseas is required.

Use Foreign Service Nationals or officers of the plant protection organization of the country of origin.

Delegate some oversight responsibilities to facilities.

Accreditation of third party inspectors or auditors.

Treatment in the U.S.

Possible Regulatory Changes

Allow treatment of imported fruit in the Southern and Western U.S.

Current regulations do not allow this.

Locating facilities along the US/Mexico border and in major West coast ports could expand programs significantly.

Rule change is in process.

Next 10 Years– Big Picture Ideas

Multilateral agreement that replaces current FEWP and workplan structure.

Harmonization of program requirements.

Oversight by country of origin NPPO.

Mutually accepted training.

Increased trade in irradiated products between parties.

New or Re-fitted irradiators in US cities like Newark, Chicago, Seattle, or near the Mexican Border

Conclusions

USDA support the use of irradiation for phytosanitary treatments!

Use of irradiation has increased steadily in the last 10 years and is expanding at an ever increasing rate.

Opportunities for improvement exist, USDA is working with the fruit and irradiation industry to take advantage of these opportunities.

We welcome input and suggestions for improvement.

Hot water treatment immersion is not effective as a quarantine treatment to disinfest mangoes of the mango seed weevil.

Weevils in ‘Alfonso’ mangoes from India were not killed when infested mango fruit were immersed in water at 118.4-125.6oF (48-52oC) for up to 90 min, and 129- 158oF (54-70oC) for up to 5min (Shukla and Tandon, 1985).

Mango Tolerance to Hot Water Hot water immersion can damage the quality of mango fruit (Yahia and Campos, 2000).

First Legal Import Of Indian Mangoes in The USA (27th April-2007)

Proposed Supply-Chain for Mango Import

Gamma Radiation Facility in India

Use of Gamma Radiation for Mangoes

Effect of Gamma Radiation on Mangoes

Future of Indian Mangoes in USA

Current Limitations to U.S. Main Stream Market for Indian Mangoes

Where is National Mango Board in Support?

Responsibility of educating people about mangoes of the world & Introduction of other finest verities of the world

Giving multiple options of mangoes varieties to the consumers in USA

Support the Science and scientific research on irradiation treatment on mangoes and give fair comparisons on quality, shelf life and food safety with other treatment modalities

Educated consumer will drive the demand for the right cultivar !!!

Let’sMANGO!!!

~ Dr. B

PIURA REGION MUST PROTECT WATERSHED AS AGRIBUSINESS GROWS ...

2012-02-26T07:04:00.001-08:00

Can the effects of El Niño be mitigated through a system of payments for environmental services? A study of the Piura River watershed, Peru

M. Fernández Barrena, N. Grados, M.S. Dunin-Borkowski, P. Martínez de Anguita and P. Flores Velásquez

Mario Fernández Barrena, Pablo Martínez de Anguita and Pablo Flores Velásquez are at Rey Juan Carlos University, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
Nora Grados and Maria Sofía Dunin-Borkowski are at Piura University, Piura, Peru.

This article is adapted from a study published in the Revista Electrónica de la Red Lationamericana de Cooperación Técnica en Manejo de Cuencas Hidrográficas (REDLACH), Number 1, Year 4 (2007).

To predict the viability of a system of payments for protection against floods and hydrological cycle disturbances, the estimated costs of modifying land use practices were compared with the amounts that users would be willing to pay.

Andean cloud forests are vanishing with the ongoing advance of the agricultural frontier. The environmental degradation caused by inappropriate farming practices is destabilizing the hydrological cycle, increasing the seasonal fluctuations in river flows and disturbances such as landslides and floods. In the northern region of Piura, Peru, these problems are increasing vulnerability to the El Niño phenomenon – an oscillation of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific which has important consequences for weather around the globe (INRENA, 2005).

In recent decades El Niño disturbances have resulted in costly damage in the watershed of the Piura River by causing landslides in steep areas and severe floods downstream. In 1998, the losses were valued at more than US$100 million (CTAR, 1998). Rainfall in a 1983 event was even higher, but because of the high deforestation rate the damage was greater in 1998.

A study of the Piura watershed indicated that in view of such catastrophes inhabitants would be willing to pay for environmental services such as flood protection and control of the hydrological cycle (improvement in the quantity and quality of water and reduction in seasonal flow fluctuations). The study examined the feasibility of a system of payments for environmental services (PES) for the watershed whose proceeds could be used to conserve forests and develop sustainable farming and livestock techniques (Martínez de Anguita et al., 2006). Finance would come from downstream inhabitants who suffer from the effects of El Niño. The payments would be used to compensate small farmers for their labour on forest and river-channel conservation, to create incentives for the adoption of soil protection techniques in the farming systems used, and also to help improve the living conditions of peasant farmers in this mountain region.

The study included a socio-economic analysis of the watershed area to identify potential service providers; a survey of potential users of the environmental services and their willingness to pay for them; and mapping and hydrological study of the watershed area to identify the most important areas for maintenance of environmental services. By comparing the costs of the measures needed to conserve water resources and the amounts that service users and other investors could be expected to contribute, it was possible to analyse the viability of several alternative options for a PES system.

In the Piura River watershed, Peru, loss of forest cover has increased erosion; the hydrological system could be improved by compensating small upland farmers for reforestation, forest conservation and adoption of agroforestry, sustainable farming and silvipasture techniques that protect soil.

M. Fernández Barrena

MODEL PES SCHEME

The high watershed of the Piura River has a population of about 70 000 potential providers of environmental services; they share similar farming systems and socio-economic conditions, with average annual income of about US$400. The downstream population includes some 300 000 potential buyers of the services, with average annual income of more than US$2 400.

The watershed has six main subwatersheds where improvements could contribute to regulating the hydrological cycle. All of the banks of the Piura River from the outlets of its main tributaries to its arrival at the Pacific Ocean are vulnerable to sudden rises. Practically the whole zone, including most upland farmland, has a high to very high erosion risk (Figure 1). Geographic information system (GIS) analysis showed that erosion risk is influenced more by forest cover than by soil type. The solutions to the problem are clear: conservation of the remaining forests, recovery of lost areas, reforestation of stands, a shift to agroforestry and other systems that protect soil from erosion, and development of silvipasture (López Cadenas de Llano, 1990; Braud et al., 2001).

The flow in the Piura River undergoes wide seasonal fluctuation, ranging from 5.72 m3 per second for about ten months of the year to 200 m3 per second in the rainy season. It also varies considerably from year to year; for example, in El Niño years it reaches peak flows of 1 600 m3 per second, while in La Niña years flow is much lower.

The Yapatera and Charanal subwatersheds were identified as those that could benefit most from intervention, as they have particularly serious erosion (Figure 2). Although they are the smallest subwatershed basins, occupying only 15.4 percent of the total area, together they account for 38 percent of the sediment and 23 percent of the water supplied by the six subwatersheds of the Piura River.

A survey of almost 200 potential purchasers in the city of Piura, together with other studies, indicated that the inhabitants of the watershed are willing to pay for environmental services (Table 1). More than 80 percent of the city residents who responded to the survey acknowledged their readiness to pay. Some 66 percent of those surveyed would prefer to make payments to an independent institution set up for the purpose. Another 19 percent would prefer to make payments together with water bills for the sake of convenience. The choices of the remaining 15 percent were divided among city or regional government or unspecified others.

As some socio-economic groups would be willing to pay more than others, a scheme of differentiated payments by socio-economic group would maximize income from the PES system. By multiplying the amount that each group would be willing to pay by the number of households in that group (Table 2), it was calculated that annual income from the system would total more than 10 million nuevos soles (S./), equivalent to US$3.2 million.

The providers identified were landowners in the upper part of the River Piura watershed who could maintain or improve the quality of water with good practices or a change in land use. Payments would compensate them in various cases for reforestation and management of reforested areas, for conserving forests or for adopting agroforestry practices. A physical planning model was created using the methodology proposed by Jiménez et al. (2006), dividing the providers’ area into zones (Figure 3):
maximum environmental service protection zone: areas on steep slopes and thus having a greater risk of erosion, divided into two subzones:
- maximum protection zone 1: slope greater than 60 percent (40 728 ha);
- maximum protection zone 2: slope between 40 and 60 percent (63 070 ha);
hydrological protection zone: land located 150 m from water channels and springs and covered by vegetation that protects the channels, while also providing habitat and conservation corridors for diverse plant and animal species (35 333 ha).
environmental service conservation zone: natural or primary forest areas, whose protection is vital for the quality of watershed environmental services as well as for conservation of biodiversity (16 091 ha);
sustainable farming zone: land used for agriculture and animal husbandry (71 696 ha).

With a view to maximizing the area to be protected with limited funding, various types of contract are proposed for providers in the various zones to be included in the PES system (see Box). Incentives are designed to encourage adoption of best practices for each zone, with a view to conserving and improving the environmental service and improving the quality of life of families in mountain areas by increasing their income.

On the basis of the income of the purchasers living in the city of Piura, and supposing that all the properties in the watershed subscribed to the PES system, the average amount that could be paid per hectare as opportunity cost was calculated. Four alternative options were drawn up, encompassing decreasing portions of the watershed area (Table 3). The average sum to be paid per hectare would be adjusted according to the various contracts to which the owners might subscribe, depending on the type of land owned and their specific interests.

Under Option 1, it was estimated that an initial investment of US$28.7 million would be needed (Table 4), and Options 2 and 3 would require a similar outlay. This sum would be used to supply the materials needed to meet the providers’ requirements without their having to invest any initial capital; the providers would furnish the labour required to make the changes in land use. With local government able to contribute US$10.9 million (calculating the cost of labour at the market rate) and Piura city purchasers US$3.2 million per year, funding would be insufficient to make this proposal viable. This cost would also be very high for attracting international aid or a loan.

More feasible options, however, would be Option 4, focusing on priority hydrological response units (identified by their soil type, plant cover and meteorological conditions) or a staged approach starting with the zones of highest priority (Table 5) or focusing on Options 2 and 3. Option 2 would be the most efficient, providing 75 percent of the environmental services at a cost of US$19.2 million.
1
Erosion risk in the main subwatershed areas of the Piura watershed, Peru

M. Fernández Barrena

2
Average annual production of water and sediment in subwatersheds of the Piura basin

M. Fernández Barrena

3
Plan of the providers’ area

Proposed contract types
Type I: Forest owners
Primary forest. The sum received per unit area should be greater than or equal to what a farmer would receive under the PES system. Some activities are restricted.
Secondary or reforested forest. The sum received should be lower than that received by owners of primary forest, but higher than that of the other categories.
In each of these cases, an extra incentive is included if the area owned lies within any of the protection zones defined in the physical plan.
Type II: Owners of riverbanks without natural vegetation

Owners of land located 150 m from rivers and water sources (hydrological protection zone) will receive payment similar to that under a Type I contract, to compensate them for the opportunity cost of maintaining these areas with natural plant cover.
Type III: Owners of agricultural land

The sum received must be adjusted so that, when it is combined with profits from production, the owner will draw greater profit from subscribing to the contract than from eliminating the forest.
Type IV: Owners of pastureland

The sum offered must be attractive enough to encourage the owner to subscribe to the system. Payment would be received after the proposed silvipastoral model is achieved.
Type V: Communal forests and lands

Previous contracts should be adjusted depending on whether the land is forested or can be reforested. Payment will go to the city council, which must use it for the conservation and management of these forests.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1598e/a1598e12.htm

FALTA DE INFRASTRUCTURA AMENAZA MARICULTORES EN PIURA ...

2012-02-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

PIURA, 25 DE FEBRERO DE 2012
DESESPERACIÓN ENTRE MARICULTORES
Rompen vías para que discurran las aguas

www.lahora.pe

Lo anunciaron como el rompimiento del dique o como una limpieza de alcantarillas, ante su deterioro y amenaza de represamiento de agua, la cual si no discurría podría represarse y llegar hasta la zona de Parachique (al juntarse con el agua dulce podría ocasionar la muerte de las conchas de abanico). Ayer más de 200 maricultores, así como representantes de Defensa Civil de Sechura procedieron a romper los diques a la altura de las alcantarillas ubicadas en la carretera Sechura – Bayóvar, logrando que las aguas provenientes del Río Piura no ingresen hacia sus áreas de cultivo de concha de abanico, ubicados desde el estuario de Virrilá hasta Puerto Rico.
Por su parte, el consejero por Sechura, Tomás Fiestas Eche, responsabilizó a Provías por no darle mantenimiento a las alcantarillas y por no acoger el pedido de los maricultores y población de cambiar las alcantarillas por unas de mayor dimensión. “Hay que tener en cuenta que esta zona no es pista, es trocha porque está deteriorada desde hace años y las alcantarillas en vez de ayudar son un obstáculo para que el agua discurra”.

http://www.lahora.pe/febrero2012/25febrero2012/noticias/locales-200.html

ALERTA NARANJA EN PIURA POR LLUVIAS ...

2012-02-26T06:47:00.001-08:00

PIURA, 25 DE FEBRERO DE 2012
CRECIENTE DE RÍO OBLIGA A CERRAR CARRETERA A SECHURA
Riesgo de desborde en Bajo Piura y Castilla

www.lahora.pe

Si bien el caudal del río no llegó a los mil 400 o mil 500 metros cúbicos que se esperaban, hasta las 7 y media de la noche de ayer se reportaba un acumulado de mil 348 metros cúbicos, por lo cual se procedió al cierre de la carretera que lleva a Bayóvar y Sechura, el reforzamiento de las defensas y dique en el Bajo Piura, así como el cierre de compuertas de drenes en Castilla ante posibles amenazas de desborde.

En manos de la Naturaleza, en estado de alerta y con un pedido de emergencia se encuentra la región, tras las fuertes lluvias que se registran en la sierra y Alto Piura, y sobre todo tras la alerta naranja del Senamhi emitida el jueves por la noche, la cual anuncia lluvias para los próximos seis días en nuestro departamento.
Ayer la situación de riesgo se incrementó en algunas zonas, como por ejemplo Castilla, Bajo Piura y Sechura. Según se conoció por personal del Centro de Operaciones de Energencia del Gobierno Regional, en horas de la noche el caudal llegó hasta los mil 348 metros cúbicos con tendencia a bajar; sin embargo este estado fue calificado como crítico por algunas instituciones como Defensa Civil.
Ante dicho caudal y con la intención de prevenir cualquier tragedia con un posible desborde, el Coer en coordinación con la empresa contratista que brinda mantenimiento a la carretera a Sechura (conocida como óvalo Bayóvar, cruce Mórrope), cerraron el tránsito para todo tipo de vehículos, y obligaron a los transportistas a tomar el cruce Catacaos y Panamericana Sur.

Desbordes
Por otro lado, el riesgo y fantasma de los desbordes alborotó y sumió en la desesperación a algunos distritos como Castilla y los ubicados en el Bajo Piura (Chato Chico, Chato Grande, entre otros). En Castilla, los moradores de los asentamientos humanos de Las Montero, 28 de julio y Alejandro Toledo, preocupados por un posible desborde iniciaron la colocación de sacos de arena. Asimismo, la alcaldesa, Violeta Ruesta manifestó que ante el estado de alerta se cerraron las compuertas de los drenes pluviales para evitar que las aguas del río entren a las casas de los vecinos. Del mismo modo, se dio a conocer que las tres cámaras de bombeo cercanas a la ribera del río, están operativas para evacuar aguas pluviales.

http://www.lahora.pe/febrero2012/25febrero2012/noticias/locales-100.html

MAJOR CORPORATIONS MAKING TRANSPORTATION SHIFTS TO CUT BACK ON $$$ & CARBON FOOTPRINT ...

2012-02-26T06:38:00.001-08:00

Justin Gerdes, Contributor

Independent journalist specializing in energy and the environment

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GREEN TECH

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2/24/2012 @ 2:10PM |1,850 views

How Nike, Wal-Mart And Ikea Save Money And Slash Carbon By Shipping Smarter

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A new Environmental Defense Fund report presents best practices of companies that are saving money and cutting carbon by shipping smarter. Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation

With the U.S. average price of diesel at $4 per gallon, companies that move goods and have not planned for $5 diesel risk seeing profit margins disappear.

A new report written by Jason Mathers, Program Manager, Corporate Partnerships Program, in Environmental Defense Fund’sBoston office, offers laggard CEOs a template to save fuel in their supply chains. The report presents best practices of companies, including giants Nike, Wal-Mart, and IKEA, that are saving money and cutting carbon by devising creative ways to ship goods.

The goal of Smart Moves (PDF), Mathers told me, was “to collect a whole bunch of stories that have been told individually, and to pull them together to paint a collective picture of action that companies could be taking with their distribution and logistics networks that will cut costs and will cut emissions.”

Aside from the threat to earnings, any CEO concerned about his or her company’s carbon footprint must account for shipping’s growing contribution to climate change, from the introduction:

The global freight transportation and distribution system accounts for nearly three billion metric tons of heat-trapping carbon emissions each year. That’s equal to over 700 coal plants or the combined total global warming pollution from Japan, Germany, Canada and Mexico. Transportation accounts for 89 percent of the environmental footprint of supply chain logistics; warehousing and distribution take up the remaining 11 percent … In the United States alone, emissions from freight are projected to increase 74 percent from 2005 to 2035. China is expected to increase its use of freight transportation fuels by more than 320 percent from 2008 to 2035.

In the report, Mathers focuses not on freight carriers (long-haul cargo planes and container ships) but on shippers, which he describes as “companies that utilize logistics services to move products but are not primarily in the freight business.” For these firms, he said, the longer-term prospect of regional or global carbon pricing is not as significant as the bottom-line-busting price of diesel. Mathers mentioned the possibility of diesel hitting $5 per gallon this year, which “is a massive cost increase for these companies.”

“The driving factor in every one of these cases was cost reduction,” he said. “One of the really great aspects of the freight space, and one of the reasons we think that freight is particularly ripe for carbon reductions today, is that there is such good synergy between cost and carbon reductions.”

“By highlighting these through the sustainability lens,” he added, “what I hope to do is to get the sustainability teams at companies to look at what some of their competitors are doing.”

In the report, Mathers describes several broad categories of best practices: shifting cargo from planes to ships, or from trucks to trains; improving inventory management practices; optimizing distribution networks; leveraging partnerships, even with competitors, to collaboratively distribute goods; rethinking the goods and packaging that make up each shipment, or changing the mix of products to optimize for space and weight; and, last, improving the energy efficiency of warehouses and distribution centers.

Mathers also notes the carbon and monetary costs company logisticians must weigh when deciding among transport options. “Planes emit 47 times more carbon per ton mile than container ships; trucks emit six times more carbon per ton mile than trains. The more carbon intensive modes typically cost more as well,” he writes. “If just 10 percent of truck shipments shifted to utilizing an intermodal strategy, one billion gallons of fuel could be saved in the United States.”

Smart Moves abounds with examples of proven strategies to cut costs and carbon in shipping. Here is a sampling:

Nike and HP: Ocean over air

In 2003, Nike decided on a cargo shift. Most of the shipments from its manufacturing facilities in Asia would now arrive in North America via ocean container ship instead of by air. The move saved Nike $8 million in 2009 alone, and served as justification for a company goal to reduce carbon emissions from inbound logistics by 30% by 2020. HP saved $7,000 and avoided 900 tons of carbon per shipment by electing to send its Visual Collaboration Studio, a telepresence conferencing system, by ocean freighter over a cargo plane.

Baxter and Levi’s: Moving goods from trucks to rail

Medical supply company Baxter increased the share of its U.S. shipments using intermodal transport – where trains carry containers long distances and trucks take over to deliver goods to the final destination – by more than 30% from 2005 to 2010, slashing carbon emissions by 14,000 metric tons. Levi’s found that a switch to intermodal transportation cut CO₂ emissions by 60% in some shipping lanes.

Kenco: Postponing the final assembly of goods

Logistics services company Kenco helped a client, a kitchen and bath industry manufacturer, cut its inbound freight costs nearly in half by developing a process whereby semi-finished goods are assembled at the regional distribution center rather than the factory.

Wal-Mart: Direct shipment

Wal-Mart worked with Minute Maid to eliminate one stop in the chain used to deliver Minute Maid’s Simply Orange Juice to Wal-Mart distribution centers. Now, the product moves directly from a production facility in Florida to Wal-Mart distribution centers. Eliminating delivery to Minute Maid’s own distribution centers slashed CO₂ emissions by 1,500 metric tons annually and added six days to the shelf life of the orange juice.

IKEA and Cisco Systems: Getting the most out of each move

According to the report, more than a quarter of tractor trailers on U.S. highways are running empty, and, in 2009, $186 billion worth of merchandise (8% of all sales) was returned. Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that shipments make full use of the available space in planes, trucks, and trains. IKEA eliminated air and unused space from the packaging for its GLIMMA tealight candle. After the tweak, the number of tealight packs that fit in a standard European pallet increased by 40%, reducing carbon emissions by 21%. Cisco Systems has saved more than $24 million annually from packaging improvements. One example: the company stopped including hard-copy user guides with its IP phones, directing customers to online guides instead. Now three IP phones can fit in the same shipping space where two did before.

I asked Mathers if these strategies and others detailed in Smart Moves had buy-in from C-level executives. “None of this stuff that we see would be happening unless there was senior-level support,” he said. “Senior-level folks clearly see the driving factors of an incredibly competitive environment, the need to be bringing in constantly new and the best talent, increasing expectations from their customers and shareholders about environmental sustainability, and increasing energy costs.”

“We’ve entered into a phase where transportation costs are becoming more and more significant,” he said.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/justingerdes/2012/02/24/how-nike-wal-mart-and-ikea-are-saving-money-and-slashing-carbon-by-shipping-smarter/

About the author:

Justin GerdesContributor

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I'm a California-based independent journalist specializing in energy and the environment, with a particular focus on energy and climate policy. My work has appeared at Chinadialogue, MotherJones.com, Earth2Tech.com, and Santa Clara Magazine, where I'm a Contributing Writer. I've reported from France, Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark. For the 14 months leading up to COP15, I reported from Copenhagen for Monday Morning and the Copenhagen Climate Council.