Worldwide markets are growing due to increased consumption demand and the development of technology to facilitate trade in fresh fruits. Also, demand for fresh fruits on a year-round basis is increasing, and consumers are willing to pay higher prices for out-of-season fresh fruit. The invention and adoption of new transportation and controlled atmosphere technologies allow fresh fruit to travel greater distances and still maintain its freshness.

South America is well known worldwide as a supplier of fresh fruit, and as a consequence of being in the southern hemisphere, production is counter season to that of the main world producers in USA, EU, China, India and Mexico. The increased demand and technology facilitate increased international trade in fresh fruit, providing consumers with greater choices of quality fresh fruit on a year-round basis.

The EU is the largest importer of fresh fruits and imports are increasing on an annual basis, with a 5-percent increase in quantity from 2002 to 2003.