Outstanding program of 100 experts lecturing in Berlin

For many countries the fresh fruit sector is a key part of the economy. This applies just as much to industrialised countries as those in the global South. The overall conditions in the sector are in constant flux, whether due to changing consumer behaviour, political developments, the digital transformation or the effects of climate change. For decision-makers along the entire value chain, this means constantly adapting to new circumstances and demonstrating their creativity, flexibility and innovative drive.

Fresh Produce Forum: what will tomorrow’s markets look like?

What are the strategies for succeeding in these markets? These questions are the focus of the one-hour sessions at the Fresh Produce Forum. Topics include modern breeding methods that can be used to adapt seeds to a wide variety of environmental conditions and consumer preferences, the reorganisation of supply chains using AI, product safety management in times of increasing regulatory requirements, and growing consumer demands. Participants will learn about the revised EU marketing standards for fruit and vegetables, can immerse themselves in the complex pricing processes along the supply chain and, taking Morocco as an example, find out how scarce resources such as water, soil and energy can be used efficiently and sustainably.

Future Lab: securing yields with intelligent technology

The rise in extreme weather events, the overexploitation of natural resources and the decline in biodiversity are among the greatest challenges of our times. Among presented solutions are the diagnosis and eco-friendly control of emerging fungal pathogens; the use of smart sensor traps for pest control and the identification of genetic markers that make it possible to control the flowering time of pome and stone fruit. Ryp Labs will share how to simply extend the shelf life by several days, by the coating with food-safe StixFresh stickers, which mimic the plants’ natural defence mechanisms. And scientists at the University of Zurich will show that vaccinate arable land is beneficial fungi that promote soil health.

Logistics Hub: safe, fast and with low emissions from A to B

Whether sea or air freight, road or rail freight transport, smooth cold chain logistics are essential for sensitive products such as fruit and vegetables. At the Logistics Hub, exporters and representatives of transport companies report on how they ensure their goods arrive at their destination intact and on time, as well as the digital technologies they employ. Kiwifruit exporter Zespri its presenting its low-emissions sea corridor project, with which it aims to make shipping routes between the company’s native New Zealand and Belgium – its most important European gateway – environmentally friendly.

Ultra-modern cool ports

The planned Rotterdam Food Hub promises to be just as forward-looking. The ultra-modern refrigerated logistics centre is set to revolutionise the handling of fresh produce at Europe's largest container port. The same also applies to the multi-purpose deep-water port of Puerto Antioquia on the north coast of Colombia, which is due to open in early 2025 after a three-year construction period. The long-awaited project aims to shorten transit times and make the fresh produce trade in bananas, avocados and mangoes more competitive and sustainable.

The Tech Stage on machinery and technology innovations

It is the space where exhibitors will deliver 20-minute pitches presenting their machinery and technology innovations to trade fair visitors. Sustainability and digitalisation dominate the agenda here too. For example, DS Smith from Austria, which specialises in recycling and paper production systems, is showing why even after 25 years corrugated cardboard is still an up-to-date packaging material. Multivac, from Germany’s Allgäu region, is presenting its wide range of integrated packaging lines. Blue Radix from the Netherlands is exhibiting its Crop Controller, an AI-based system which independently optimises and controls the climate and irrigation in greenhouses. The greenhouse specialist Ridders, also based in the Netherlands, is presenting smart water management and plant monitoring solutions.

Farming Forward stage on climate-resilient and agriculture

The Farming Forward stage focuses on how new technologies can help to make agriculture more productive and sustainable. Here, trade visitors can look forward to three formats. On the first two days of the trade fair, exhibitors in the Smart Agri Area will present digital technologies for open-air and greenhouse cultivation – from non-invasive fruit quality testing using spectral photography to digital insect monitoring and drone-assisted pesticide use.

Greenhouse and vertical farming in the afternoons

The afternoons will be devoted to the topic of cultivation under controlled environmental conditions, better known as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The US-based CEA Alliance is organising six workshops to shed light on the potential of this type of cultivation. Participants will hear from farmers and technology providers about how CEA can make food production more climate-resilient and efficient, the economic viability and sustainability of vertical farming, and whether greenhouse produce requires different packaging solutions to outdoor crops.

Science Symposium on Friday

On the Friday of the trade fair, the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) Potsdam will introduce a scientific as well as a practical perspective at the Science Symposium. Scientists from all over the world will present fascinating findings from basic and applied research. The programme includes several short presentations on storage, packaging, food health and phenotyping (the use of modern technology to identify external plant characteristics), as well as AI.