Objective
This project aims to improve the competitiveness of SMEs within the European Fruit Sector by providing them with a new fruit sorting technology to produce and market high quality “premium grade” product. SME-AGs have identified the “premium” branding approach, as a response to the competitive pressure from producers in developing nations and from large retailers. This goal is aligned with the major objectives of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): to improve European fruit quality, and to promote the consumption of healthy food by European citizens.
Via FRUITGRADING, SME-AG associates estimate that the base price at origin can be raised by 10%-30% with respect to standard “extra class” and “first class” fruit, which will deliver an additional turnover of €5.7M/year for the set of associates. From the perspective of the European Fruit Sector, SME-AGs have estimated that the general adoption of the proposed sorting technology could potentially generate up to €3.5 billion in the EU-27. Considering the significant market potential for the proposed system, SME-AG proposers plan to patent and fully exploit the proposed technology.
From a technical point of view, FRUITGRADING aims to develop and validate a fruit sorting pilot plant which integrates low cost and contactless inspection technologies for assessing the internal quality of the fruit. Sorting technologies currently available in the market rely on the measurement of external quality criteria, and are unable to quantify internal fruit quality – which is perceived by the customer, however. By combining Magnetic Induction Spectroscopy, and Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, FRUITGRADING will evaluate electric and optical parameters, which are known to be correlated with standard reference analytical methods to determine internal fruit quality (such as Solid Soluble Content, water content, etc).
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-SME-2011
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
08940 Cornella De Llobregat Barcelona
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.