| DEAL BREAKER While fruit flies are the root cause of the low volume of mangoes available in Europe, those are the regulator and market demands that dictate the quality requirements. "Food safety and pesticide residues are a deal-breaker for supermarkets, while consumers buy mangoes based on price and appearance. Taste is not always the most direct concern, but consumers will not repeat their purchase after a bad experience." » THE CHALLENGE Now we understand the inherent limitations of the mango supply to Europe and other developed markets, "Mangoes are commonly imported from developing countries. Finding a reliable supply is one of the major issues to maintain stability in the mango market." » In other words, finding a reliable supply source is the key to solving the problem presented at the beginning of this article; "the mango consumption is mostly supply-driven and mainly influenced by external factors such as available volumes, quality…" ». WHAT IF Imagine, Europe is getting the supply of all of its mango demands. All are high-quality mangoes, free of sprays, and free of phytosanitary hazards, mainly free of fruit flies. When this happens, we will see European mango annual consumption growing annually by 15%-20%. That translates into an extra of hundreds of million Euros of imported mangoes to the EU in the next five years. Meaning, hundreds of thousands of extra tons of mangoes exported from emerging markets to Europe. As a result of that process, energizing the economies in the sourcing countries and positively influencing the lives of tens of thousands of farmers and many other people involved in the supply chain. It only makes sense that a growing volume of mangoes will be sourced from an area close to the EU - from Africa - to fill the gap, resulting from the ever-increasing demand. For Africa, or even more specifically, West Africa, to become a significant export area of mangoes to Europe, it has to deal with the three factors described above – meaning to solve two quality problems, which to this day have caused all attempts to grow its exports, to fail; * Effective Fruit Fly Management - will enable to reduce infestation to <1%, from its current 50%-80%. * Chemical/Spray Free Mangoes – that means reducing or eliminating insecticide sprays, including those for the control of fruit flies - from its current level (100% of the farms) to a majority free of insecticide sprays, having chemical residue-free fruits. Well, how do we bridge the gap? How do we manage to pull up this challenge? To cope with this typical situation to countries exporting mangoes, Biofeed has developed the Green Valley concept. It is based on 30 years of knowledge and experience, including successful fieldwork in Africa and Asia. As essential for the Green Valley success is that it act in light of a long term MISSION - "To enable consumers to enjoy better and healthier food and life, while growing produce in a safe, eco-friendly environment, and improving farmers' livelihood." GREEN VALLEY The Green Valley initiative is all about increasing the QUALITY of mangoes to export much higher quantities from emerging markets, such as Africa, to premium markets, such as Europe. Understanding that FRUIT FLIES are the KEY obstacle in making this dream come true, the Green Valley initiative's first (and primary) element is the FFCTZ (Fruit Fly Certified Trade Zone). FFCTZ is a cost-effective Fruit Fly System Approach Managed Protocol, enabling fruit fly control without sprays and with a near-zero infestation level; about 99% less infestation than currently, while using sprays, traps, and sanitation. The FFCTZ implementation outcome is the ability to harvest mangoes year-round, regardless of weather conditions, such as rain, yet, be confident about the results and the ability to reach premium markets standards, every time all the time. The FFCTZ can be used by a professional farmer having a mango farm larger than 50 hectares. The FFCTZ is implemented and operated by a team of experts, which follows a strict protocol to ensure standing up to leading premium markets' highest requirements and regulations. KEY ADVANTAGES OF THE FFCTZ PROTOCOL * Simple and easy to use - unlike the large, complex, and expensive fruit fly Area Wide Management projects (AWM). * Accessible- for area/farms larger than 50 hectares, in contrast to the enormous AWM projects applied on thousands of hectares. * Immediate results –exporters get their ROI within the first season, which is impossible with other AWM project. * Weatherproof - adaptable to a variety of climate zones. * Simultaneous management of mixed fruit fly populations(which is an impossible mission for other AWM projects). * Zero Fruit Fly Sprays - based on a non-spraying technological solution, the FreeDome. Unlike other AWM projects, with FFCTZ, chemical residues are no longer an issue. * Effective– reduce fruit fly infestation by 99.9% (data is based on actual filed results). After all, fruit fly management protocol is made to eliminate the obstacle of fruit fly infestation so that farmers can grow Export Quality fruits, and importers can import free of hassles. Current protocols, resulting in 50% to 80% fruit loss due to fruit fly infestation, and Export Ban. HOW CAN YOU GET YOUR JOB DONE IN A FAR BETTER WAY? The FFCTZ has many up-sides benefits, which only a handful are mentioned above. However, let's briefly look at how it can help you, get your job done better, and improve your position and income. Farmer – FFCTZ enables you to free your mind, workers, and worries from the daily pursuit of fruit fly control, through spraying, trapping, sanitation, etc. With FFCTZ, you focus your efforts on growing the best possible mangoes, harvest them at the optimal time, and getting them in the best shape to the packinghouse. By the way, your harvest season can be as long as you wish, unaffected by rains, time of the year, or fruit flies. Exporter / Importer – finally, your worries are over, at least those that have to do with phytosanitary standards. When fruit flies are no longer a problem, and the chemical residue is not an issue, you can finally focus on what you want and need to do. You can outreach more professional farmers who can supply you with more export-quality mangoes growing under the FFCTZ protocol. FFCTZ is your path to moving from the uncertainty involved in purchasing mangoes in emerging markets to the certainty of getting the quality and quantity that you want from the market that you wish to, at the perfect time for you. Now you can offer your clients the kind of quality that they require, be it Normal, Ready-to-eat, or Tree-ripened mangoes. Certainty is the most valued thing for businesspersons; with FFCTZ, you have the highest certainty you can dream of. Regulators / Plan Protection – your life will be easier and joyful without the daily fear and tension that have become part of you during the mango harvest season. There is no need to stop farmers from harvesting, while 30% to 50% of the fruits are still on the trees. No more being afraid of interceptions and lab results. No more need to face angry farmers and explain why there is (still) no effective fruit fly solution. With FFCTZ, you will finally be able to relax and focus on other issues that are waiting forever. Supermarkets –mangoes are tasty, and high value produce. If only you could sell more mangoes (of really high quality), you would be able to increase your annual income for the tropical (exotic) fruit category. When the farmers from which you source your mangoes are working under the FFCTZ protocol, you can be sure to get a much higher quality, greater volume, and during a more extended period of the year. When your source producers are under the FFCTZ protocol, you can offer more categories of quality, i.e., Normal, Ready-to-eat, Tree-ripened, and be sure that complaints about quality will be lower than ever. You can have that place on the shelf full of high-quality mangoes year around. Consumer – FFCTZ will enable you to get the best quality mangoes, in the best condition, year-round, and of course, free of pesticide residues, free of bad smells, free of pests, no need to buy 5 fruits just so that you will have two good to eat, but not to enjoy fully. When you buy mangoes sourced from an FFCTZ, you will buy exactly the number of fruits you want to eat because you will not throw any fruit. All fruits will be tasty thanks to the perfect timing of harvesting. You will also know that by doing so, you helped improve the lives and health of farmers in emerging economies while protecting the environment. . | 
