International Blueberry Days Program: Preview of Global Players at Macfrut 2023

At International Blueberry Days, scheduled to take place in Rimini May 3-5, 2023, Macfrut will be the global capital of blueberry thanks to a full program of conferences attended by key players from research and the entire production and trade chain. The program opens on Wednesday, May 3, with a technical and scientific day coordinated by Prof. Bruno Mezzetti of the Marche Polytechnic University. The symposium will feature experts from leading organizations and specialized societies; the issues of breeding and varietal selection will be analyzed by Susan McCallum (The James Hutton Institute), Jessica Scalzo (Costa Group) and James Olmstead (Global Blueberry Breeding Director at Driscoll's). A section of the symposium will explore aspects of quality with a talk by Stefano Predieri of CNR-IBE on the relationship for consumers between quality enhancement and sensory evaluation of blueberries. Other researchers from China, Turkey, Portugal, and Chile will also be part of the program to build a comprehensive picture of key technical and scientific developments. For the entire following day, space will be given to global companies that are key players in the production and marketing supply chain of blueberries from the main production areas. Over the course of the day, the Global Players program will bring to the stage the visions on the future of the supply chain and long-term development strategies of the many speakers including Orieta Ramirez (Frusan) and Gustavo Salinas (Hortifrut) from Chile; Dominika Kozarzewska (Polskie Jagody) from Poland; and Steve Taylor (Winterwood) from the United Kingdom. Other speakers will round out the program, which, at the end of a day of talks, will conclude with a panel discussion in which the main trends and challenges that will shape the future of the global supply chain of blueberry will be analyzed and summarized. Exhibitors and visitors from around the world are expected to attend the three-day International Blubeberry Days, which also includes a Berry School in the field, an indoor demonstration area and a dedicated exhibition area. According to co-organizer Thomas Drahorad (president of NCX Drahorad and director in charge of Italian Berry), "the complexity of the new scenarios in the blueberry supply chain will find in International Blueberry Days an open space for discussion and collaboration: at Macfrut, the players in the sector will be able to build together a future of virtuous growth for the benefit of producers, distributors and consumers." The event will be sponsored by Unitec (technical partner), Arrigoni, G-Berries, Pasquini, and Bini (Diamond Sponsor), Aurorafruit, Berryway, Campagnola, Fall Creek (Ruby Sponsor).