Webinar Recap: Climate Change: Impact of Hot Summer on F&V Production

Host: Juan Carlos- Global Market Analyst

Speakers: Bojan Mijatovic- Global Market Analyst,

Elton Greeve - Origination Manager South Africa

Rashmi Sahu - Origination Manager India and

Lei Wang - GMI Researcher China

.Agenda:

1. Regional variations in hot summers and their impacts on agriculture

2. Global initiatives and policies addressing the climate issues

3. Panel Discussion

Tridge’s June webinar, “Climate Change: Impact of Hot Summer on F&V Production,” presented the current challenges facing fruit and vegetable production in the Northern Hemisphere while also covering price and trade movements for major F&V commodities and weather forecast for the upcoming summer.

Regional Variations in Hot Summers and Their Impacts on Agriculture

Tridge Price Data in Spain-Vegetables

Source: Tridge

This section focused on the importance of weather data, Tridge's role in helping buyers and suppliers adhere to up-to-date information, and the negative impacts of adverse weather. Furthermore, an overview of weather impacts on fruit and vegetable production/price/trade data was given for Europe, MENA, Asia, and the Americas. Finally, a case study for European regions was explained, with examples of the commodities most affected by the impact of hot summers.

Global Initiatives and Policies Addressing the Climate Issues

The second part of the webinar presentation asserted global initiatives and policies which tackle climate issues. The main point is that climate warming continues despite the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Specific climate models predict that the end-of-century temperature is expected to reach a 2.4°C average increase, with a 95% chance of exceeding 1.5°C.

Panel Discussion:

The presentation was complemented by a panel discussion where the panelists Elton Greeve, Lei Wang, and Rashmi Sahu, answered questions put to them by the host Juan Carlos. On the matter of the impacts of climate change on fruit and vegetable trade in the designated region, Sahu emphasized three key points:

• Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are making it more difficult for farmers to grow crops
  
• Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns
  
• The rising cost of transportation
  

Wang pointed out that China is a major consumer and producer of fruits and vegetables, and that climate change affects unexpected market price fluctuation and causes losses for both farmers and consumers. Also, extreme weather such as heat and heavy rain causes yield reduction and quality issues, and ultimately, the rising cost of agricultural production Greeve talked about how South Africa faces a high risk of serious climate changes due to its water scarcity status. Climate extremes have led to changes in weather patterns, natural disasters, and production methods. These changes affect the agricultural value chain, causing disruptions in logistics, market access, and cold storage expenses, resulting in economic downturns and reduced exports. The second key issue was the mitigation of climate change risks for buyers and suppliers in the F&V sector. Greeve pointed out that it is essential to assess the risks and gather as much information as possible about the region where climate affected production, with an example of citrus supplies from the Western Cape. Sahu gave a specific example of how improved agricultural practices in broccoli production help farmers in tackling climate change, also climate-resilient production plans, and adopting climate-resilient practices, as well as the government's role in providing help to both farmers and suppliers. Wang was clear on three major key points:

• Shorten the supply chain from farm to table
  
• New production and genetically modified technology
  
• Improve agricultural management and practice level
  

For the last part of the panel discussion, Carlos addressed the question from the chat and merged it into a question for speakers on government regulations or agreements addressing the impacts of climate change on agricultural trade. Wang pointed out the most important Five-Year National Agriculture Green Development Plan in China, while Sahu addressed the National Adaptation Plan for Agriculture (NAPA) as the most significant right now in India. Greeve further explained how South Africa adopted the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2020, as part of its initiative to mitigate climate change, and its effects.

Click here to view the recording of the webinar, or click here to view the slides.