Belgapom celebrates its 60th anniversary with a new logo and the launching of a renewed website.
Belgapom, the federation of the Belgian potato trade and processing industry, was founded as the national association of the potato merchants of Belgium shortly after World War II in 1948.
The 60th anniversary of Belgapom coincides with the International Year of the Potato 2008, declared by the United Nations. During the past 60 years Belgapom has evolved from an association for the potato trade to a modern union for the Belgian potato trade and processing industry.
Via cooperation with the umbrella federations UNIZO and Fevia (food industry), Belgapom has grown to become the voice of this growing and quickly evolving sector on all federal and regional levels.
To date, Belgapom also holds the secretariat of the European union of the potato trade, Europatat and the European association of the potato processing industry UEITP.
Belgapom laid the foundation of various initiatives, whereby the cooperation with similar federations from the potato, fruit and vegetables-sector (Vegebe, the vegetable processing industry and Fresh Trade Belgium, the importers and exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables) in the FVPhouse (Potatoes, vegetables and fruit-house) has led to an improved efficiency. We refer to the self checking guidelines for the wholesalers and processors of these commodities and the environmental Best Available Technologies for the potato, fruit and vegetable processing industry.
Belgapom is planning a celebration of this anniversary on Saturday, 29 November, 2008 on the eve of its own European trade event for the potato, fruit and vegetable sector, Interpom-Primeurs, scheduled on 30 November and 1 and 2 December, 2008.
Belgapom and its members have also taken the initiative to create the Belgian Task Force for the International Year of the Potato, which brings together the authorities and the other links of the potato chain and has set up a number of activities. The potato sector hopes to support a number of development projects to promote the potato growing in Africa and South America.