The 2009 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition will include participants from around the globe when it gets underway next month.

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) is anticipating attendees from across the supply chain around the world, including Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Iraq, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia and Uruguay will attend the event on October 2-5 in California, US.

This year’s Fresh Summit convention is expected to draw more than 17,000 attendees from more than 50 countries. The exposition will feature 642,600sqft of exhibit space, with more than 2,450 booths and 800 exhibiting companies.

PMA vice-president of global business development Nancy Tucker said: “Special buyer groups coming to Fresh Summit include a dozen importers from Russia, a large group of buyers from South America and for the first time, more than 20 importers from Iraq. They look to Fresh Summit because they have learnt from experience that it offers bankable business leads, new products and business innovation ideas, and educational development they need to compete and win in this new economy.”

The global produce industry’s largest US congress, Fresh Summit will offer both networking and education events. In addition to the welcoming reception on Oct 2, PMA will host its annual International Partners Reception on Oct 4.

This year’s Fresh Summit will also feature educational workshops designed to address the global industry’s business needs, including a two-part series on the changing global economy and its impact on the worldwide produce community, and a session examining the increasing challenges related to water supply issues.

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