The 10th International Berry Congress, organised by Freshuelva and due to take place on 18 and 19 June at the Casa Colón in Huelva, is being presented as a “key forum for debate to tackle the major challenges facing the sector”, against a backdrop of growing pressure on resources, the need for constant innovation and the search for new commercial opportunities. This was highlighted by the president of Freshuelva, Francisco José Gómez, during the official presentation of the event to the media.
At the event, which was attended by the Mayor of Huelva, Pilar Miranda; the President of the Provincial Council, David Toscano; the Managing Director of the Andalusian Agency for Agricultural and Fisheries Management (AGAPA), José Carlos Álvarez; and the president of the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation, José Luis García-Palacios Álvarez, the president of Freshuelva expressed his gratitude to all the collaborating institutions and organisations, “who have made it possible for this Congress to reach its tenth anniversary and establish itself as the most important event held in the global berry sector”.
Francisco José Gómez emphasised that “the Congress will serve as a major forum for analysing the present and planning the future of the sector at a time when we face major challenges such as water, infrastructure, climate change, the labour force, soil disinfection and the opening up of new markets”. The president of Freshuelva highlighted that “this Congress is a key forum for producers, marketers, ancillary businesses and public authorities, and one in which Huelva becomes the world capital of soft fruits”. He also stated that this tenth edition is being approached “with great enthusiasm, excitement and commitment, because we are a sector that exemplifies unity and strength, innovation and sustainability, and we want to show this to the whole world, but also with a sense of responsibility, given the importance of the challenges ahead of us and for which we must find solutions together”.
The Mayor of Huelva, Pilar Miranda, has described the Congress as “a great celebration of knowledge, innovation and cooperation”, and stated that “it is a source of real pride for the city to host this international event for yet another year, an event which is also marking its tenth anniversary”. Miranda highlighted the role of soft fruits as “a strength of Huelva in terms of employment, wealth, structural cohesion, innovation and sustainability”, and conveyed the council’s commitment to the sector: “We are determined to support you in your transformation, by providing industrial land, attracting investment and creating the conditions for Huelva to become a strategic agro-industrial hub in southern Europe”.
David Toscano, president of the Huelva Provincial Council, highlighted that this edition is once again “a great showcase for demonstrating the sector’s best practices and emphasising a constant commitment to innovation and sustainability”. Toscano stated that “in the province of Huelva we are very proud of a sector that can take pride in how well it is doing in producing the best soft fruits in the world”.
On behalf of the Regional Government of Andalusia, the managing director of AGAPA, José Carlos Álvarez, reiterated the institution’s support for the Congress, which he described as “the most important international event held in the field of soft fruits”. Álvarez pointed out that the sector plays a crucial role in the Andalusian economy and that “it is a benchmark for innovation and sustainability”. He also thanked Freshuelva “for its work in representation and organisation”, and conveyed the Andalusian Regional Government’s congratulations on the congress’s tenth anniversary.
The president of the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation, the event’s exclusive main sponsor, José Luis García-Palacios Álvarez, recalled that “since the very first edition, we have been supporting this important Congress and this sector, which has become a stable driving force for the provincial economy”. He also noted that the Congress “will help the sector to showcase from Huelva the great economic, commercial and social strength that, as a whole, soft fruits already possess”.
