Some 120 watermelon professionals were drawn to Florida in April for the second International Watermelon Conference, bringing together industry experts from growers and marketers to researchers and trade groups.
The event, organised by vegetable seed supplier Nunhems and taking place in Miami Beach, saw visitors discussing important industry issues such as exporting, food safety and retail marketing.
Attendees were drawn to the 'Americas Summit' from as far away as Brazil and Spain, with the conference featuring a mix of speakers, tours and networking opportunities, mainly targeting North, central and South American growers.
'This is a global industry, but much of the business is conducted regionally, said Peter Gomez, watermelon crop sales manager Americas at Nunhems. 'The International Watermelon Conference provides a rare opportunity for those involved with watermelons in the Americas to connect, learn and share.'
Nunhems' CEO Douwe Zijp launched the event by welcoming attendees and stressing his group's commitment to sharing knowledge and providing platforms that, in turn, help other do the same.
'Nunhems is thrilled to stage such a conference, as it personifies what our company constantly strives to achieve: interaction with growers and others in the industry, and providing them with information and support to hep make their crops, their businesses, better and stronger.'
The US event marked the second time Nunhems has hosted the International Watermelon Conference, with the first held in Valencia, Spain in 2008.
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