CHINA visits New Covent Garden Market

New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) was our destination early in the morning on 7 September with delegations from Shangdong and Henan Provinces of the People's Republic of China. We were delighted that Minister Counsellor Zhou Xiaoming of the Chinese Embassy was able to join Director General Wang Showen, Department of Foreign Trade, and FPC importing members to tour the flower and fruit & veg markets.

Helen Evans, Head of Communications at NCGM, and her team welcomed us at the famous flower market where our tour began and we were joined by FPC members Nick Matthews and Shaun Roche of Total Produce, Ronny Lieu of Sunnyfields/Cooks Delight, Darren Leaden of DG Fruit, Marcus Parker of Ferryfast, Dan Zou of Keelings, Tim Williams of Spitalfields and Richard Gaskin of Technofresh.

We noted the Chinese garlic and ginger on offer in the fruit & veg market and it was good to catch up with a number of traders we haven't seen for a while and we called in to see Fresh Direct's new site - the Personal Catering Company. This latest member of the FD portfolio provides a Local London Depot for the leading food service business.

Following our tour we met in the Orangery at the market to find out more about UK market trends from the FPC's very own Nigel Jenney. Helen Evans provided an update on the new site development proposals - the new market is expected to be completed in around 5 years time and whilst we will be back many times before then, we are eager to visit the completed development.

Director General Wang Showen provided interesting information on China's aims to increase exports to the UK but also its desire to import UK produce and we were interested to learn from speakers from the two provinces of Henan and Shangdong about developments in producing fruit & veg with trading opportunities for our members. Amongst a wide variety of produce, the Henan Province is a key producer of dates and the Shangdong Province boasts its own vineyards and production of very fine wine.

Lunch provided a great networking opportunity and we look forward to working to seeing our friends from China again over the next few months, both in China and here in the UK as we develop trading opportunities within our membership and look to take a delegation of UK importers/exporters to Beijing later in the year.