Market dynamics, consumer spend and produce quality are the core themes for the UK fruit and wine sector at Fruit Focus 2009.
The event, which will be held at East Malling Research, Kent, on July 22, has built a reputation for its technical content, live crop demonstrations and its probing forum programme.
Jon Day, Haymarket Exhibitions event manager, said: “Our Fruit Focus partners - Berry Gardens, the National Farmers' Union, Syngenta Bioline, the Horticultural Development Company (HDC), English Wine Producers, UK Vineyards Association (UKVA) and event host East Malling Research - represent some of the sector’s most influential players. They have all added immense value in developing content which addresses the primary issues facing the top-fruit, soft-fruit and vine markets, such as the impact of the credit crunch on consumer buying habits, labour shortages, escalated input costs and pesticide concerns linked to the 91/414 review and residues management.”
Day added: “Although the sector faces some robust issues, there are optimistic predictions for import substitution with home-grown fruit and wines, significant replanting of orchards and the introduction of new top- and soft-fruit varieties to the UK which will prove valuable to the retail chain.”
Fruit Focus has earned a reputation for its technical content which last year’s visitors said made the event unique in its practical and visual delivery of the latest in varieties, growing innovations and management techniques.
Fruit Focus highlights this year include:
• 100 leading suppliers to the fruit and wine production sectors
• A unique combination of crop trials from manufacturers and research bodies demonstrating new varieties, breeding and plant stock and agrochemical, fertilisers and biological control developments
• A live demonstration arena showing the latest machinery and equipment in action, including harvesting rigs, soft and top fruit sprayers, decompactors and bed formers
• Vines to Wines, the first business to business technical event for the viticulture industry in the UK
• NFU & Syngenta Bioline Fruit Forums - topics include counteracting the downward consumer spend, carbon footprinting of orchards, biopesticides for soft fruit and vines and horticulture under the Conservatives
• East Malling Farm Tours of the latest fruit research.
HDC’s Scott Raffle said: “HDC sees the event as a good opportunity to promote the development work that growers are funding for their own industry. HDC funds some of the EMR trials that will be available for viewing on the Farm Tours.”
On its own stand, HDC will be showcasing the results of a number of projects including the new suite of virus testing for strawberries that has been developed by CSL [now Fera]. It will also be showcasing the new Apple Best Practice Guide and Soft Fruit Safety DVD produced as a training aid for soft fruit growers.
In addition, the growing success of the UK’s wine and viticulture industry has seen Haymarket partners English Wine Producers and the UKVA deliver Vines to Wines. In the afternoon forum sessions, Camilla Bridewell, commercial manager at Vigo Ltd, will be discussing the costs and considerations for setting up a winery and Sam Linter of Bookers Vineyard will present her view on maximising revenues from grape sales by understanding what the winemaker wants.
Exhibitors in the Vines to Wines area will include demonstrations of new vine varieties, crop protection options, fertilisers and nutrition, viticulture equipment, winery design and winemaking.
Day added: “I don’t think there’s anywhere else that UK fruit growers - or indeed anyone else in the industry - can visit and benefit as wide a range of valuable information as there will be on offer at Fruit Focus. The content is precisely what the progressive UK grower needs to develop their business for the future.”
Tickets for Fruit Focus are available free of charge by registering through the event website at www.fruitfocus.co.uk
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