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COMMITTEE ON COMMODITY PROBLEMS |
INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP ON BANANAS AND TROPICAL FRUITS |
First Session |
Gold Coast, Australia, 4-8 May 1999 |
PROVISIONAL AGENDA |
II. FIRST SESSION OF THE SUB-GROUP ON BANANAS
A. Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Sub-Group on Bananas
B. Adoption of Provisional Agenda of the Sub-Group on Bananas
(i) Current market situation and short-term outlook
(ii) Recent developments in emerging markets
(iii) Medium-term projections for supply and demand to 2005
(iv) Impact of changes in export prices of bananas on income, employment and food security
III. SECOND SESSION OF THE SUB-GROUP ON TROPICAL FRUITS
A. Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits
B. Adoption of the Provisional Agenda of the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits
D. Intergovernmental action on tropical fruits
(i) Tropical Fruits Network (TFNET)
(ii) Report on Common Fund activities relating to tropical fruits
F. Adoption of the Report of the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits
AGENDA NOTES
The First Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and on Tropical Fruits will open at the Conrad Jupiters Hotel, Gold Coast, Australia on Tuesday, 4 May 1999 at 1000 hours. The Group is expected to adopt its report in the afternoon of Saturday, 8 May 1999. During the Session, the Sub-Group on Bananas and the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits will hold separate meetings (please see Provisional Timetable given in the Annex).
1. The Session will elect a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons.
2. The Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) approved the Terms of Reference of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and on Tropical Fruits at its Sixty-second Session in January 1999. The Group will adopt its Rules of Procedure. Document CCP: BA/TF 99/2 provides proposed Rules of Procedure for the Group's consideration based on those of the former Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits.
3. The Intergovernmental Group on Bananas normally elected a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons. At its Sixteenth Session in 1997, it elected Mr J. Beecher (Ireland) as Chairperson, and Messrs S.A. Nuñez (Honduras) and Ralph Ives (USA) as Vice-Chairpersons.
4. As one of its major functions, the Sub-Group monitors all aspects of the world banana economy, and undertakes a comprehensive analysis of supply, demand, price and cost developments. The review is divided into the following four major sub-items:
5. The Sub-Group will have the opportunity to evaluate conditions in the global banana economy in 1998 and the prospects for 1999, with the assistance of document CCP: BA/TF 99/3 providing the latest data available to the Secretariat. Members are requested to provide information regarding banana market developments in their countries.
6. In accordance with the continuing interest in new and emerging markets, the Sub-Group will have the opportunity to assess the effects of macroeconomic and other developments on the banana market in the Russian Federation with the assistance of background document CCP: BA/TF 99/4.
7. As part of its functions of evaluating the longer-term market outlook, the Sub-Group will assess the prospects for supply and demand of bananas to the year 2005. To assist the Sub-Group in this review, the Secretariat will provide a new projections study outlining prospects for production, consumption and trade (CCP: BA/TF 99/5).
8. The Fifteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Group requested that in-depth studies be undertaken on the impact that changes in supply and demand could have on income, employment and food security in the banana sector. The Sub-Group will receive a progress report drawing on case studies in a few banana-exporting countries (CCP: BA/TF 99/6).
9. The Sub-Group will have the opportunity to examine the topic of "fair trade" and "organic" bananas, which has attracted considerable interest in trade circles. Information on the possibilities for the development of niche markets for "organic" bananas and on consumer interest in "fair trade" bananas is provided in document CCP: BA/TF 99/7.
10. The Sub-Group provides a forum for the review of production and trade policies affecting the world banana economy. A review of policy developments since the Sixteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas will be provided in document CCP: BA/TF 99/8. Delegates are requested to supplement the information on policy developments in their countries, to assist the Sub-Group in reaching a balanced and objective evaluation of the policy environment affecting the banana sector and thus contribute to overall market transparency.
11. The status of work accomplished under the Banana Improvement Project, which is now nearing completion, as well as of other projects already endorsed by the Banana Group will be reviewed in document CCP: BA/TF 99/9. Members of the Sub-Group are reminded that if any new project proposals are to be submitted for possible endorsement, they should be provided to the Secretariat by 4 March 1999.
12. The Session will elect a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons.
13. A statistical compendium on production, imports, exports, consumption and prices will be tabled at the Session as CCP: BA/TF 99/CRS.1. Delegates are invited to review these data and provide information on recent developments concerning tropical fruits in their countries.
14. The successful development and sustainability of the world tropical fruit economy necessitates a better understanding of the socio-economic factors underpinning supply and demand. Document CCP: BA/TF 99/11 analyzes prospects for the tropical fruit market in China, as requested by the Sub-Group at its First Session, to provide members with a framework for the development of appropriate marketing strategies for new markets and minor fruits.
15. The Sub-Group at its First Session considered that the harmonization of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in international trade could affect the viability of the fresh tropical fruits exports industry. In addition, there is the need for exporting countries to adapt their quality control systems and infrastructure to meet evolving market requirements. CCP: BA/TF 99/12 analyzes the regulatory framework and alternatives to treatment by methyl bromide, and CCP: BA/TF 99/13 provides cost benefit analyses of alternative quality control systems.
16. The Sub-Group will be informed of actions taken to establish the TFNET. A meeting of the Informal Working Group on TFNET will take place prior to the session.
17. The Sub-Group was granted International Commodity Body (ICB) status by the CFC. Document CCP: BA/TF 99/14 describes the status of the reformulation of the African Fruit Fly project which was endorsed by the Sub-Group at its First Session. If any new project proposals are to be considered by the Sub-Group, they should be transmitted to the Secretariat by 4 March 1999.
ANNEX
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
Monday, 3 May 1999
- 1700 - 1900 hours : Registration (Conrad Jupiters Hotel)
Tuesday, 4 May 1999
Wednesday, 5 May 1999
Thursday, 6 May 1999
Friday, 7 May 1999
Saturday, 8 May 1999
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IGGBA/TF: Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and on Tropical Fruits SGBA: Sub-Group on Bananas SGTF: Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits |