Hong Kong, 23 March 2016 – Information technology, communication technology, the Internet-of-Things, Big Data, robotics: each and every one of these new technologies now has an impact on the world of fresh fruits and vegetables, and in turn the fresh produce supply chain from farm to fork can now call on specialised solutions that allow it to cope with their far-reaching effects.

 To understand better the future shape of these new technologies, ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is joining with Frug I Com to launch SMART Horticulture Asia, a new, high-level, Asia-wide business forum that focuses on information management, standards, and technology.

 The two organisations signed a cooperation agreement in February 2016 at FRUIT LOGISTICA in Berlin that extends to Asia the benefits of Frug I Com’s existing initiative on digitalisation and standardisation in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector.

 A new one-day conference will take place on Thursday 8 September 2016 during ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, Asia’s leading trade show for the fresh fruit and vegetable 

business which takes place on 7-9 September 2016 at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo.

 SMART Horticulture Asia is the only dedicated forum in Asia to provide insights into the latest trends and applications of information exchange, information technology, information standards, digitalisation, and other emerging technologies in the fresh produce supply chain farm to fork.

 “We are delighted to partner with a pioneer such as Frug I Com because it has a level of expertise and competence in this field that is second to none,” says Will Wollbold, Commercial Director of Global Produce Events GmbH, the organiser of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. “Its annual EU FRESH INFO Forum & Roundtables in Rotterdam brings a level of understanding and insight in this fast-growing sector with contributions from international experts on the latest developments in the fresh fruit and vegetable business.”

 “New technologies bring new SMART solutions to our industry,” explains Frug I Com’s Harrij Schmeitz who chairs SMART Horticulture Asia. “It explains why we need to work on international standardization for information exchange. As representative of the Dutch fresh fruit and vegetable industry we are very pleased to organize this Asia forum together with ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. Our own supply chain in the Netherlands is based upon the movement of fresh fruits and vegetables, both at an import and export level, and this transnational cooperation reflects the international nature of the fresh fruit and vegetables sector, which is the most global business in the world of food.