Huelva, 10 June 2026.
The president of the International Blueberry Organisation will analyse the role of blueberries in the sector’s global growth, and the University of Huelva will present the results of the clinical trial commissioned by Freshuelva on the benefits of strawberries for women’s health
Registration remains open on the Congress website: www.congresofrutosrojos.com
The 11th International Berry Congress, organised by Freshuelva and to be held on 17 and 18 June at the Casa Colón in Huelva, will round off its main programme with content focusing on international markets, health, social responsibility and gastronomy, thereby reinforcing its status as a leading forum for the berry sector.
Among the highlights of this year’s event is the participation of Mario Steta, Chairman of the Board of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO), who will deliver a market-focused presentation on Thursday 18 June at 12 noon entitled ‘Blueberries as a driver of growth for the global soft fruit sector: implications for Spain’.
An agricultural engineer and an international leader in the fruit and vegetable sector, Steta has nearly four decades of experience leading agricultural projects and fruit and vegetable operations in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He currently serves as Vice-President of Government Relations for EMEA, a consultant and international speaker, and regularly contributes to specialist organisations and publications in the agri-food sector.
His presentation will provide a first-hand insight into the trends transforming the international blueberry market—one of the fastest-growing and most promising crops globally—as well as the opportunities and challenges this presents for Spanish companies.
Health will also once again feature prominently on the Congress programme. On Thursday 18 June, at 10.15 am, the presentation ‘Benefits of strawberry consumption for women’s health. Presentation of the pilot clinical trial with fresh strawberries in young women with menstrual pain’ will take place, a study initiated by Freshuelva in collaboration with the University of Huelva.
The findings will be presented by Elia Fernández Martínez, a midwife, doctor and senior lecturer at the University of Huelva, and by Cynthia del Rocío Márquez Beltrán, a nurse and PhD student at the University of Huelva.
This research represents a new step in the strategy to promote the benefits of red berries through scientific evidence, deepening our understanding of the health benefits associated with eating fresh strawberries.
Another major new feature of this year’s event will be the round-table discussions on Social Responsibility and Local Development, scheduled for Thursday 18 June from 11.00 am.
The first of these will address the project supporting entrepreneurship among Moroccan women recruited in their home country, with the participation of Isabel Martín Ortiz, Director of Administration at Agromartín; Félix J. Sebastián Cabrera, coordinator of the Lepe and Cartaya centres of the Cepaim Foundation; and Carmen Díaz Soriano, Provincial Councillor for Social Services, Drug Addiction and Social Welfare.
This will be followed by the round table discussion ‘The butterfly effect of Huelva’s soft fruits. How circular migration impacts countries of origin. The case of Honduras’, which will analyse the social and economic impact these programmes generate beyond our borders. Participants will include Mercedes Gordo Márquez, head of the social consultancy Repuebl-ARTE, and Miguel Ángel García Arias, senior migration expert at the Action Against Hunger Foundation.
The main programme will conclude on Wednesday 17 June with a cooking demonstration led by chef Daniel del Toro, an Andalusian chef, food writer and entrepreneur known for his educational work and for bringing cooking to the general public through an approach that is accessible, creative and rooted in culinary traditions. His demonstration will highlight the culinary versatility of red berries and their potential as part of a healthy diet.
These events complement the main conferences already announced, which will be led by writer and leadership expert Luis Galindo, who will open the Congress with the talk ‘Continuing to build an exciting future together’, and by international branding specialist Andy Stalman, who will close the event with the talk ‘Sowing the future, reaping success’.
The main programme will conclude on Wednesday 17 June with a cooking demonstration led by chef Daniel del Toro, an Andalusian chef, food writer and entrepreneur known for his educational work and for bringing cooking to the general public through an approach that is accessible, creative and rooted in culinary traditions. His demonstration will highlight the culinary versatility of red berries and their potential as part of a healthy diet.
These events complement the main conferences already announced, which will be led by writer and leadership expert Luis Galindo, who will open the Congress with the talk ‘Continuing to build an exciting future together’, and by international branding specialist Andy Stalman, who will close the event with the talk ‘Sowing the future, reaping success’.
In addition, the 11th International Berry Congress will feature an extensive programme of technical talks led by leading companies in the sector, as well as a large exhibition area that will once again turn Casa Colón into a meeting point for producers, marketers, ancillary companies, researchers, technicians and institutions linked to the berry sector.
Having brought together more than 1,700 professionals at its last edition, the Congress is still accepting registrations via its official website: www.congresofrutosrojos.com.