Interpoma 2026: tomorrow's apple orchard takes shape in The Orchard of the Future  

From 25 to 27 November, Interpoma, the international apple show, returns to Fiera Bolzano with a program focused on innovation and the challenges facing international apple production. Events include “Women in the Apple Sector: Stories of Female Leadership in Agriculture”, a session highlighting the experiences and role of women in the apple supply chain, alongside the Interpoma Congress, Interpoma Award, Interpoma Tours and The Orchard of the Future.

The expertise of women driving the apple supply chain, from production and cooperative work to marketing and communications, takes center stage. This will be the common thread of “Women in the Apple Sector: Stories of Female Leadership in Agriculture” – a session taking place on Wednesday, 25 November at 16:00 in Foyer 0 of the Meeting & Event Center adjacent to the FieraMesse H1 Eventspace – as part of the 14th edition of Interpoma, the global trade fair for the apple industry. 

Held under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the session forms part of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, a United Nations initiative. It will give a voice to a range of commercial, entrepreneurial and grower organization experiences, through first-hand insights spanning production, cooperatives, industry bodies and agricultural media across local, national and international arenas. 

Moderated by Cristiano Spadoni, journalist at AgroNotizie and member of the Italian Women’s Fresh Produce Association, which is a co-organizer along with the South Tyrol Apple Consortium and the Laimburg Research Center, the session features participants sharing their experiences in short talks, each built around a keyword and a symbolic object. Together they will create a collective account of women’s leadership in the apple supply chain, open to all visitors to Interpoma. 

The session is one of the events of the 14th edition, which will bring together producers, businesses, researchers and trade professionals from around the world in Bolzano from 25 to 27 November 2026 to discuss the main challenges impacting top fruit cultivation. Interpoma 2026 will put spraying and application technology front and center – a critical driver for enhancing operational precision and optimizing resources, as well as advancing efficient and sustainable orchard management. This theme will run through the fair’s main events, from the Interpoma Congress to the Interpoma Award and on to the exhibition area The Orchard of the Future. 

“At Interpoma, innovation is something you can see and touch first-hand. The 2026 edition will be a hands-on forum bringing together researchers, business leaders and growers to share knowledge and experience and tackle the challenges of apple production together”, comments Anna Crosignani, Brand Manager at Interpoma. 

Interpoma’s international scale and scope are further strengthened through strategic synergies and engagement with other leading trade events in the sector. For example, a Fruit Logistica 2027 press conference will take place on Thursday, 26 November at 14:30 in the Startbase room of Fiera Bolzano. 

On the eve of the fair, Tuesday, 24 November, World Apple Day returns as well. The international day dedicated to apples was created in 2022 through a partnership between Interpoma and the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA). After the first edition, celebrated at Interpoma itself, the initiative has continued in subsequent years alongside Apple Day in South Tyrol. In 2026, World Apple Day returns to the fair’s calendar, offering a further occasion to celebrate the apple and its role in the international agri-food supply chain. 

From research to the field: other highlights of the 14th edition of Interpoma 

Interpoma Congress: from application technology to Latin American markets 

The Interpoma Congress returns as one of the fair’s central events. Developed by Walter Guerra of the Laimburg Research Center, it will take place this year for the first time on the second and third days of the show, Thursday, 26 and Friday, 27 November, with two mornings dedicated to the challenges facing international apple production. 

The first day, “New Approaches in Spraying Technology: Efficiency Meets Sustainability”, will explore innovations in application technology, from precision spraying to the use of sensors and drones for plant protection. Friday, 27 November, “Regional Opportunities and Global Challenges: Latin America in Focus”, features Brazil, Chile and Mexico, with an analysis of the opportunities and challenges relating to production, competitiveness and markets. 

Interpoma Award and The Orchard of the Future: innovation takes center stage 

Innovation will also be at the heart of the Interpoma Award 2026, now in its third edition and focusing this year on spraying technology. The accolade puts the spotlight on the most advanced solutions for precise, efficient and sustainable apple production, selected by an international jury of experts chaired by Prof. Massimo Tagliavini of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The winner is due to be announced on Thursday, 26 November, at the end of the first day of the Interpoma Congress. 

Completing the innovation journey is The Orchard of the Future, a themed zone in the FieraMesse H1 Eventspace, where visitors can have an up-close look at technologies set to transform orchard management, from agricultural drones to precision spraying systems, and from sensor technology to UV-C light-based solutions. 

The public will also have its say through the Visitors’ Choice Award, voting on the first day of the fair for the most interesting application technologies on display in the area. 

Interpoma Tours: discovering innovation in the field 

The Interpoma Tours return to the calendar: ten guided technical visits, hosted in English and spread across the three days of the fair, offering a closer look at innovations in use at local businesses, research centers and cooperatives. 

From fruit-growing businesses and research centers to packhouse cooperatives, participants will see first-hand the innovations transforming the supply chain, exploring topics such as digitalization, organic farming, varietal trials, application technology, resource management and new solutions for apple storage. 

ipoma magazine: the story of apple growing continues online 

ipoma magazine returns, too. Now in its fourth edition, the official Interpoma magazine will be available exclusively in digital format. Coordinated by leading consultant Gerhard Dichgans, it will offer insight into the trends, innovations and key figures of the international apple supply chain. 

Apple growing on social media: three creators at Interpoma 2026 

To bring the world of agriculture closer to younger generations, Interpoma 2026 will also tell its story on digital channels, involving three content creators who specialize in farm life, innovation and fruit growing. 

Matteo Fiocco (@matt_thefarmer), farmer and digital communicator, is one of Italy’s leading creators focused on agriculture. Through his channels, he shares the day-to-day reality of work in the fields, cultivation techniques and sustainability challenges, making the sector’s topics accessible even to non-specialists. 

Federico Valgoi (@valzioo), a young farmer from Trentino, documents on social media the running of the family farm in Valsugana, which specializes in growing apples and cherries. Combining a direct, no-nonsense style with dry humor, he shares insights, daily realities, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of life in the orchard. 

Kait Thornton (@applegirlkait), a fourth-generation American fruit grower from Washington State, combines hands-on experience with digital storytelling. Her content looks at apple growing in the United States, agricultural innovation, and the relationship between producers and consumers. 

These three distinct viewpoints bring Interpoma and the evolving apple supply chain to life across digital platforms. 

*All images courtesy of Interpoma

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Interpoma 2026: Tomorrow's apple orchard takes shape in The Orchard of the Future