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FeedKevin Moffitt named president of global group
The World Apple and Pear Association marks its tenth anniversary.
Kevin Moffitt has been involved with WAPA since its inception.
Geraldine Warner
Kevin Moffitt, president of the Pear Bureau Northwest, has been named president of the World Apple and Pear Association to succeed Alessandro Dalpiaz, who represents Assomela, the Italian association of apple producers.
Moffitt has been a member of WAPA since it was formed 10 years ago and was vice president for the past two years. Peter Beaven of Pipfruit New Zealand is the new vice president.
The association’s goal is to boost global demand for apples and pears and ensure a fair return for growers.
Moffitt said the association, which is based in Belgium, has worked to pull together production statistics from the different regions of the world, including big producers such as Poland and the Ukraine, from which good, timely information has not been available in the past. These statistics give producers around the world a better picture of the entire apple and pear market outlook before the season begins and help them plan their marketing strategies.
At the annual meeting in Berlin, Germany, in early February, a representative from China attended for the first time and reported that production in China is shifting away from the east coast because of urban encroachment.
Most of WAPA’s 21 members represent producer organizations, but China, which is the world’s largest apple and pear producer, has no such organization. Moffitt said one of his goals as president is to solidify contacts with the Chinese apple and pear industries so that the association can have more consistent information from China.
Members of WAPA from the United States include Chris Zanobini with the California Pear Advisory Board, Todd Fryhover with the Washington Apple Commission, Chris Schlect with the Northwest Horticultural Council, and Kristine Marceca with the U.S. Apple Export Council, as well as Moffitt.
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