Evolution of COVID-19 for the Nut and Dried Fruit Industry

The start of the pandemic is hard to determine with certainty, however, throughout January, February, and the beginning of March, the virus spread mostly undetected and by the middle of March, the virus began to cripple the global economy. Governments began to take almost draconian measures to fight back against the virus and with these actions, the world as we knew it began to fade away. It is important to note that this overview does not reflect the development in every region of the world, but rather a generalized outline of how the pandemic has evolved.

The first wave of coronavirus was not evenly spread throughout the globe, with Asia getting hit hard early in 2020, followed by Europe, then the Americas, and the rest of the world. However, by April, the virus had crippled the majority of the global economy. With the pandemic well underway in all parts of the world, the INC set out to interview members of its leadership team to give an update of how the virus had been affecting the nut and dried fruit industry.

The interviews, conducted in June, coincided with the first ever INC Webinar Series which highlighted and gave information on each of the products under the INC umbrella. This event, together with the interviews, gave way to a clearer picture on just how COVID-19 had affected the nut and dried fruit industry.

It was evident that the virus had strained supply chains and threatened employee safety throughout all levels of the supply chain. Many companies had to reevaluate how they conducted business on-site, their production methods, and their ability to transition to a digital format of working. Global trading came to almost a complete halt and many businesses in the industry had to adapt and find ways to navigate the ever-evolving situation.

Although the tension of COVID-19 was clearly seen in the sector, there were a couple of points that acted as a light at the end of the tunnel:

Through the INC Webinar Series and the interviews with the INC Leadership team (available in Nutfruit July 2020), there seemed to be a common thought: the nut and dried fruit industry could and would prevail during this crisis.

With the arrival of summer months in the northern hemisphere, many regions of the world had drastically reduced or were in a downward trend of coronavirus cases. By this time, there was also a clearer picture on what some of the effects would be. According to the OECD in late June, the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered the most severe economic recession in nearly a century.

The severe economic recession coupled with steady infection rates prompted a slow and gradual reopening of economies. By the June 25, 2020 INC COVID-19 Update, most international borders had begun the process of reopening. Although some regions and countries still faced rising infections, late June, all of July, and most of August gave the world a much need breather in fighting the pandemic.

With some people returning to the workplace, factories and production sites began to operate in the most unrestricted means since the pandemic had started. At this point in the pandemic, extensive economic stimulus plans had been approved in many countries around the world, and commonly found in recovery packages was support for the agriculture sector. These recovery packages were aimed at protecting industries deemed necessary, such as food and agriculture.

Unfortunately, the brief summer slowdown of COVID-19 was just that, brief.

Returning colder weather in the northern hemisphere has once again amplified the infection rate of COVID-19 and many countries, especially in Europe, and the Americas are seeing a return of rising cases, which in turn has led to increased restrictions. Although there is a resurgence of cases, several countries have opted for more localized lockdowns in contrast to the large-scale strict nationwide lockdowns observed early in the pandemic.

For the nut and dried fruit industry, even though the health crisis continues to disrupt many parts of our lives, the sector as a whole has shown its capability to adapt, implement health protocols, navigate troubling supply chain issues, and most of all, push nuts and dried fruits to the forefront of consumers’ minds and promote the products as the healthy product they are. 

As part of this effort, the INC has launched a new dissemination campaign, "Real Power for Real People" which connects the "Real Power" gained from consuming nuts and dried fruits, to attitudinal immunity, an individual's capability to resist negativity. You can find more information on the campaign at www.nutfruit.org/consumers/powerchallenge.

While the future remains mostly unclear and difficult to predict, some things are evident, the industry must continue to adapt, navigate, and persist during this unprecedented public health crisis. Furthering these efforts, the INC has organized the first ever online and international conference for the entire industry! With a strong product lending itself towards healthy demand, applied safety measures during harvesting, and cooperation, the nut and dried fruit industry will position itself to succeed.
 
Stay up-to-date with the latest information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic by following the INC’s biweekly updates, which are available at www.nutfruit.org/news.