The 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV) has opened in Mexico City, with a warm welcome from Mexico’s Minister of the Economy and Under Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and opening remarks from the Codex Vice Chairperson, Codex Secretary and CCFFV Chairperson.

In his opening remarks, Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of the Economy, pointed to the multilateral nature of Codex work. With 80 nations represented at the meeting this week, he emphasized how this work brings countries of the world together in order to benefit all people globally through standards to protect health: “Codex takes care of all of us,” he said. He also pointed out that the work of CCFFV not only protects health, but facilitates trade, nutrition integrity and agricultural activities, and it does so by also establishing rules that accommodate the varying realities faced by different countries. “This work is not seen,” he continued, “but it is strategic because you establish the standards to attain very complex goals."

Leonel Cota Montaño, Undersecretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, representing Julio Berdegué Sacristán, Minister of Agriculture, underlined the role of fruits and vegetables in the Mexican and the global economies. He summarized some statistics relating to the growth of the sector for the Mexican economy, pointing out that when it comes to some commodities, including tomatoes, avocado, peppers, cucumbers and strawberries, Mexico has seen growth in the region of 56 percent since 2018. These results, he suggested, “are extraordinary” and, after 38 years hosting CCFFV, Mexico can say it is seeing “better trade dynamics in relation to other countries.” He also said that such results are helping the country pursue its aims of reducing rural poverty while strengthening the country’s food sovereignty.

Andrea Genoveva Solano Rendon, CCFFV Chairperson, urged a spirit of collaboration in discussing the Committees work this week, work, she pointed out, that is increasingly challenged by factors such as climate change which requires delegates to “find common points that allow us to establish the standards that are applicable and fair for everybody, without imposing unnecessary burdens on producers and farmers, that makes them more competitive without compromising the quality and safety of the products.”

On behalf of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Vice-Chairperson Khalid al Zhrani said: “Together, we are fully committed to serving the Codex membership and ensuring we remain closely connected with the Members, committees, and their respective chairpersons. We aim to foster a deep understanding of the issues and debates at hand, so that we can guide the Codex family effectively through these discussions.”

In a video message, Codex Secretary, Sarah Cahill also highlighted the vital role of fresh fruits and vegetables, which, she said “are a key part of a healthy diet and play a critical role in the livelihoods of millions, particularly small and family farms around the world. They are also traded internationally and, according to FAO, rank among the most valuable traded crop and livestock commodity group, with global trade continuing to grow.” She asked the Committee to carefully consider “how to ensure that Codex Standards on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables remain relevant, consistent, and meet the needs of an ever-evolving sector.”

The representatives of FAO and WHO, Lina Pohl and José Moya Medina, respectively, also spoke. Pohl recalled the fact that “cooperation, innovation, technology, data and science in different sectors and disciplines” play a key role in CCFFV work and are, coincidentally, also the accelerators identified by FAO to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better enviro9enment and a better life. Medina highlighted the continued relevance of WHO “five keys to safe food” and the vital role of Codex standards in protecting public health.

Read more

CCFFV23 webpage