Murcia will host the XI International Table Grape Symposium, an event held every three years, which this time will take place during the last week of September 2026.
After being held in Cape Town and previously in Santiago, Chile, the event returns to Europe with high expectations and an agenda that combines technical and commercial content.
Joaquín Gómez Carrasco, president and CEO of the Association of Producers–Exporters of Fruits, Table Grapes, and Other Agricultural Products (Apoexpa), told FreshFruitPortal.com that hosting the symposium represents an honor and a strategic opportunity for the region, given its importance in table grape production.
The meeting will run from September 28 to October 2, featuring formal activities and more laid-back social events at the beginning and end. Furthermore, the program will be extended until Saturday to facilitate the transfer of attendees to Fruit Attraction in Madrid the following week.
The participation of between 400 and 500 people is expected, including breeders from around the world, researchers in phytosanitary material and new genetic techniques, as well as companies linked to transport, logistics, and supplies. Gómez reported that all major breeding houses have already confirmed their presence.
One of the key points of this edition will be the balance between the technical and the commercial. Unlike previous versions, the symposium will more strongly incorporate market and business topics, responding to the industry's current needs.
The program includes visits to farms in the Murcia region, where important breeders operate. These include Blue Fresh, which will open its largest global farm this summer. Itum, linked to local producers, and Sanborn will also participate and set up exhibition centers for their varieties, among others.
Regarding varietal conversion in Murcia, Gómez said it is an ongoing process, but increasingly organized and focused on profitability and the amortization of investments.
The choice of late September will allow attendees to see production during peak harvest, a crucial moment to observe the performance of varieties and production systems in the field.
Finally, the president and CEO of Apoexpa emphasized that one of the symposium's greatest attractions will be the proximity of all technical visits, located less than 45 minutes from the main venue. This will allow tours of fields and warehouses and a look at new machinery, such as that presented by the company Moica.
"The logistical convenience and the quality of the content make this edition especially attractive for the entire table grape value chain," he concluded.
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