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Increasing
the Recognition of Canada as an Exporter of Quality Agri-Food
Products:
Background
and Objectives
Discussion at the Agri-Food Competitiveness Conference in
Saskatoon (November 1992) focused on the need for Canadians
to differentiate and promote the excellence of their agri-
food products in export markets. A cross-branch team within
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada investigating the issue implemented
the research project reported on herein to assess what industry
perceives needs to be done to increase the recognition of
Canada as an exporter of quality, value-added agri-food products.
The objectives were threefold:
1.
To obtain information from Canadian agri-food exporters on
the following:
" What they perceive is the image of Canadian value-added
products, and the role of quality in that image;
" What they are currently doing to promote the quality
of their value-added products;
" What they think needs to be done to improve Canada's
image in export markets;
" What role (if any) they believe the government should
play; and
" The level of interest and perceived role of government
in 13 specific areas.
" Additional industry needs.
2. To obtain information from some of Canada's international
agri-food customers on the same topics.
3. To obtain information from some of Canada's international
posts on image- and quality-promotion activities of Canada's
competitor countries.
Method
Goldfarb Consultants of Toronto was contracted to carry out
the research. Five focus group discussions were held (one
each in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax),
with executives of companies currently exporting or considering
exporting agri-food products. In addition 20 one-on-one interviews
were conducted with decision-makers in major food companies.
Fifteen-minute telephone interviews were also conducted with
203 of Canadian agri-food business executives.
To
gain some insight regarding whether the views expressed by
Canadian exporters were shared by their international customers,
interviews were also conducted with food brokers who import
agri-food products from Canada (five in the U.S., five in
Mexico, four in Japan, three in Germany and three in England).
And
finally, in cooperation with Foreign Affairs and International
Trade Canada (FAITC), telexes were received from Canadian
posts in Italy, Spain, France, Britain, the Netherlands, Scotland,
Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, to identify details
of some agri-food promotion programs of competing countries.
Results,
Discussion and Implications
A wide variety of agri-food businesses were represented in
all aspects of the survey. Exporters feel there is considerable
activity underway to promote the quality of Canadian agri-food
products. However, while they think Canadian products have
an excellent quality reputation, they think we need to promote
them more and so do our international customers. Intelligence
from Canadian posts also indicates that Canada had better
move quickly as the competition is active in letting export
markets know its food quality is world-class.
When
exporters were asked to rate the importance of 13 initiatives,
and indicate the perceived role of government in each, the
following results were obtained.
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