Money goes unspent because of debate Group doubles dues; members disagree on what to promote. By Gr

4/14/1997 12:00:00 AM

By Greg Johnson

Money goes unspent because of debate Group doubles dues; members disagree onwhat to promote.

By Greg Johnson

Staff Writer

NOGALES, Ariz. -- The good news is the Fresh Produce Association of theAmericas recently doubled dues to finance a marketing and awareness programfor Mexican produce.

The bad news is all that money won't be used this mango season becauseassociation members can't agree on what to promote and when.

Lee Frankel, president of the association, said minimal promotion and consumerand retail information items are planned for this season, and that is lessthan the increased dues would financially allow.

He said inherent problems exist with getting so many different people to agreeon something as volatile as spending money.

``It has more to do with being a multi-commodity association. It's difficultto promote specifically with a general group,'' he said.

Frankel said some shippers are hesitant to use general funds for a specificcommodity or season that they aren't involved in.

``For example, winter vegetable shippers don't want a spring program formangoes when their season is over,'' he said.

So the results of the new money will be scarce, Frankel said. He said in lateMarch that nothing was concrete, but he was working on some fact sheets to besent to retailers this spring concerning mangoes and some other springcommodities.

``We want to have something out by late April or early May,'' he said.

Frankel stressed that the fact sheets were still in the planning stage, andnothing was set yet.

He said the original plan was to hire a marketing person, but that plan washalted by the money spending debate.

Charles Ciruli Sr., president of Amex Distributing Co. Inc., Nogales, said hewas involved in the association's goal of getting an in-house promotion systemfor all Mexican produce.

``The FPAA wants to get someone with an advertising background to come in anddeal directly with chain stores around the country and food editors, etc.,which I think is an excellent idea,'' Ciruli said.

Ciruli said mango shippers must maintain close communications with any kind ofboard that might promote the industry. ``The most knowledgeable people onmangoes are the distributors themselves,'' he said.

Jim Cathey, president of Produce Kountry Inc., Nogales, said one of the goalsof a marketing department within the association should be consumer education.

``There's a lack of education about how to cut and eat a mango. I would thinkthat would be one of the first goals,'' he said. ``The concept of a marketingdivision is to promote the industry on everything they handle. Whether there'sa big push with mangoes ... with significant money, I don't know yet.''

Cathey said the association will help sponsor a large island display at theProduce Marketing Association Foodservice show in July in Monterey, Calif.,and one at the PMA conference in October in Anaheim, Calif.