English apples & Pears Ltd has announced the line-up for this year’s Prognosfruit conference, one of the world’s leading events for the apple and pear industry.
Prognosfruit, which counts FPJ among its sponsors this year, is expected to attract more than 200 delegates from most of the world’s major producing countries. The event will be held at the Ashford International Hotel in Kent, on August 8.
The Earl of Selborne, who has had a close association with the industry for many years through his ownership of Blackmoor Estates in Hampshire, will open the ceremony, and the morning will then be devoted to presentations of the European crop forecasts of volume and quality, planting trends in Europe and forecast market conditions throughout the world. These sessions will be followed by a presentation on market conditions and prospects for top fruit, and the morning will conclude with a presentation by Sir Ben Gill on future world factors that are likely to impact on apples and pears.
Speakers from the European Commission will summarise the latest proposals for the European Fruit for Schools’ Scheme, together with updates on marketing standards for apples and pears, the apple import licence scheme, MRLs and active substances in the evening. These will be followed by a presentation on the threats to bees and pollination across the world, a panel discussion on pear ripening and an update on the processing and juice markets. Finally, there will be a presentation on the health benefits of eating apples and pears.
A gala dinner at Leeds Castle will follow the conference, and there will be technical visits to orchards and facilities in Kent available for delegates the following day. On the previous evening, August 7, there will be a drinks reception at Godinton House.
Full details of the events and costs are available at www.prognosfruit2008.co.uk or from the organiser, English Apples & Pears Ltd.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available, and the organisers wish to record their thanks to those sponsors who have already signed up - Agrofresh and Landseer, Diageo, FPJ, Richard Hochfeld Ltd, The Fruit Grower and Worldwide Fruit Ltd
No comments yet