AIGN welcomes Turkey’s Potamia as new member

The management and membership of the Associated International Group of Nurseries (AIGN) have announced the induction of new member Potamia Fruit Breeding R&D of Eskisehir, Turkey, a partnership between Dr Yasemin Evrenosoğlu and the SS Ödemis Bademli Nursery and Agricultural Cooperative. 

“Their research is focused on the development of rootstocks and new fruit varieties with superior characteristics,” a press release stated. “With the addition of Potamia, AIGN is now twelve members strong, holding a global presence throughout the major tree-fruit growing regions.”

Potamia Fruit Breeding R&D will be represented on AIGN’s board of directors by Dr Yasemin Evrenosoğlu, a professor at Eskisehir Osmangazi University and general manager of Potamia. 

Evrenosoğlu’s team is presently involved in two national projects, crossbreeding late-ripening Japanese plums and identifying commercial pear varieties that are resistant to fireblight and pear psylla.

According to AIGN, representatives of the management team first travelled to Turkey in 2021 to visit Potamia and Bademli Cooperative’s facilities and were reportedly impressed by the professionalism and programmes they saw. 

Following two years of negotiations, the application for membership was formally presented to AIGN’s board during the 2023 Annual Meeting in Melbourne, Australia, with final approval reached in December. 

Hurşit Nallı, president of SS Ödemis Bademli Cooperative, and Dr Evrenosoğlu both expressed their pleasure at the announcement. 

“Our decision to become a member of the Associated International Group of Nurseries network is a reflection of our goal of becoming a global player in fruit tree production and breeding studies,” said Evrenosoğlu. “Thanks to our cooperation with AIGN, we will strengthen international collaborations by following the latest developments in the sector, and benefiting from information-sharing from various geographies.” 

Dr Gavin Porter, CEO of AIGN, welcomed its newest member. “The opportunity to work with this prestigious company in the territory of Turkey provides AIGN and Potamia with extended commercial opportunities neither has had before,” he said, “further helping fruit growers produce the latest proprietary fruit varieties for consumers and continuing global business competitiveness.”