Producers sign contracts with processors to supply the processed product market. Since 1990, no canning or freezing of vegetables has been done on a large commercial scale in Manitoba. There is one processor that washes and bags in consumer-sized packages fresh vegetables. Producers are very receptive to global market opportunities and, agronomically, Manitoba has the potential to produce the volumes and quality necessary to meet the export market. Manitoba's value-added sector can expand to seize these opportunities.
Strategic alliances are the key to capitalizing on the growing demand for processed vegetables.
Those countries in the Middle East whose per capita incomes continue to grow and whose consumers are increasingly health conscious are the prime target markets. Possible areas of investment include frozen and canned vegetable processing.