Ronnie Cohen, vice president of sales for Vision Import Group LLC, in River Edge, NJ, told The Produce News that he has attended the Fruit Logistica trade fair in Berlin for the past two years, and is looking forward to attending again this year on Feb. 8-10.

Over 56,000 produce and affiliated professionals will converge at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds in Berlin Feb. 8-10 for Fruit Logistica, the world’s leading fresh produce industry event.

More than 2,400 exhibitors from 80 countries and visitors from 130 nations are expected to attend. Visitor and exhibitor attendees will be comprised of importers and exporters, producers, wholesalers, retailers and transportation and handling professionals.

After decades at its South Hackensack, NJ, location, Maurice A. Auerbach has settled into its new high-tech facility in Secaucus, NJ.

Bruce Klein, director of marketing for the company, said that the new facility is a state-of-the-art structure that was designed and built for the future.

“Fruit Logistica is the largest trade show in the world for our industry,” Nelly Yunta, vice president of U.S. imports, customs brokerage and consulting for Customized Brokers in Miami, FL, the customs brokerage division of Crowley Marine Corporation, told The Produce News. “Attending the show not only allows us to discuss and discover the latest trends regarding fresh produce, it is an opportunity to interact with many of our customers and other growers and importers who will be part of the more than 50,000 people attending.”

What a difference a year makes. By Christmas 2010, Florida strawberry growers had already weathered two hard freezes and three weeks of bad weather that wiped out the season's most profitable month. This year, because the weather was so perfect, some growers had berries before Thanksgiving and production was in full swing across the state's production area well before Christmas.