Interpoma Congress: Gerhard Dichgans is the new coordinator of the international congress dedicated to the apple

INTERPOMA is not just an exhibition. The international trade show dedicated to the production, marketing and storage of apples, organized by Fiera Bolzano (South Tyrol/Italy) has always been a reference point for all those in the sector who wish to obtain comprehensive information and news about trends in the global apple industry. During the first two days of the event – on Thursday 19 th and Friday 20 th November 2020 – the international congress is going to take place, with a new look, a new name and a new coordinator. Interpoma Congress is the name replacing the traditional title of “The Apple in the World”, while Kurt Werth, the original creator and coordinator of the congress, will hand over to Gerhard Dichgans, an expert in the apple market who has been the Director of the VOG apple-growing consortium for almost 30 years. “I am very proud of this new role and I am honoured to be able to offer the apple sector the experience I have gained over many years of work: I have an up-to-the-minute and international vision of the opportunities presented at this time of great ferment”, states Gerhard Dichgans. “The Interpoma Congress is once again going to be a unique occasion to keep up with the latest trends. The central topic of the 2020 edition will be the major changes, challenges and opportunities of the world of the apple.” What’s not going to change is the professional quality of the contributors and the content that has distinguished Interpoma as a leading congress for eleven editions. The Congress will have three sessions, each marked by a central theme: the first two are going to take place on Thursday, 19 th November, to be followed by the award ceremony of the first edition of the Interpoma Award; the final session is going to be held in the morning of the next day. The focus of the first session is going to be the contrast between the world of production and that of the consumer. This first session is going to investigate why consumers are asking producers for ever more certifications and guarantees for healthy products, yet at the same time are not prepared to pay a fair price for a quality product. Experts are going to discuss sustainable agriculture and finally address the issues of fake news, how to defend against attacks and how to communicate properly on social media. The second session is going to focus on climate change and globalisation, which confront the apple-growing and fruit farming business with major challenges in terms of adaptation. In this context new alien species and invasive insects are going to be at the center of discussion. The second part of the afternoon is going to witness the presentation of new rootstock breeding programs, challenging the actual predominance of the “old” M9-rootstock which has been the standard for many years in apple orchard systems. The final session is going to be dedicated to the USA, which represents a market undergoing radical change, especially with regard to its range of varieties and breeding programs. The Interpoma Congress will take place on November 19-20, 2020 at Fiera Bolzano (South Tyrol/Italy) in the MEC Meeting & Event Center Südtirol-Alto Adige.