APEC Fights Food Waste as Supply Pressures Mount

Agriculture officials from APEC member economies and industry representatives are partnering to reduce a costly explosion in food waste in the Asia-Pacific that could jeopardize the future of global food security.
Technical discussions between these groups in Taipei took forward measures for improving food waste assessment and controls in the region of 3 billion people. Focus is on closing troubling gaps at the retail and consumer level that are feeding the problem. The dialogue was held as part of a multi-year, public-private sector project in APEC to reduce food losses across supply chains.

“APEC research shows that about 40 per cent of food waste in member economies occurs at the hands of retailers and consumers,” revealed Peru’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Juan Carlos Gonzales, who is Chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security. “Within the region, the total amount of food wasted annually could sustain 800 million people who still fall below the poverty line for 16 months.”
Press-release at the official APEC web-site