Interpoma Congress to analyse key technologies and markets for the future of apples

Precision technologies, the sustainability of plant protection, new production balances and perspectives for international markets, with a strategic focus on Latin America: these will be the central themes of Interpoma Congress 2026, the leading event for discussing the transformations of apple cultivation worldwide and the challenges awaiting the sector in the coming years.

For the first time, the congress will take place during the second and third days of the event, on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 November, as part of the 14th edition of Interpoma, the only international trade fair entirely dedicated to apples, which will be held from 25 to 27 November in Bolzano, Italy. In a sector called upon to respond to new production, environmental and market demands, Interpoma Congress confirms its role as a space for analysis and debate between research, innovation, companies and international operators.

The programme will be structured around two days of technical and strategic analysis. The first will be dedicated to new application technologies and their role in making interventions in orchards more precise, efficient and sustainable. The second will broaden the perspective to the international scenario, focusing on the opportunities and challenges of Latin America, from the evolution of production systems, competitiveness, domestic markets, exports, climate change and logistics to new commercial strategies.

Day 1. Thursday 26 November

The first day, Thursday 26 November, will be dedicated to the evolution of application techniques, with the session "New Approaches in Spraying Technology. Efficiency meets sustainability". The central theme will be solutions that are becoming increasingly decisive for improving the precision of interventions, optimising the use of products, reducing off-target losses and supporting the apple sector in its transition towards more efficient and sustainable production models.

The event will be opened by Urban Spitaler, from the Laimburg Research Centre, who will chair the session. He will be followed by Jens Karl Wegener, from the Julius Kühn Institute, who will address the relationship between precision applications and the European regulatory framework; Emilio Gil, from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, who will explore sensor-assisted variable-dose application; Valeria De Rosa, from the University of Trento, who will focus on UV-C radiation in plant protection; Daniel Bondesan, from the Edmund Mach Foundation, who will present fixed applications with hydraulic application systems; and Katrin Ahrens, from the Julius Kühn Institute, who will discuss application systems using drones.

At the end of the session, the chair will invite all the day’s speakers to the stage to take part in a round table discussion on the current state of application technologies and their future outlook.

Day 2. Friday 27 November

On Friday 27 November, the congress will broaden its perspective to the international dimension with the session "Regional chances and Global challenges: Latin America in Focus". This new and strategic approach is designed to offer an updated view of some of the most interesting production areas in the global apple-growing landscape, covering the evolution of production systems, competitiveness, domestic markets, exports, climate change, logistics and new commercial strategies.

The session will begin with a presentation by Marta Bentancur, agricultural engineer and independent consultant, who will provide an overview of global trends in apple production and trade. The programme will continue with Leo Rufato, who will dedicate his presentation to the past and future of apple cultivation in Brazil; Moisés Lopes de Albuquerque, from the Brazilian Association of Apple Producers, who will focus on domestic consumption and apple marketing in Brazil; Néstor Baeza, from Agropecuaria La Norteñita, with a presentation on the production and marketing of Mexican apples; Mauricio Frías, horticultural consultant, who will address the competitiveness and challenges of apple production in Chile; and Charif Christian Carvajal, from Frutas de Chile, who will close the day with a presentation on the positioning of Chilean apples in global markets, before the usual final round table with all the speakers.

"With Interpoma Congress, we always try to look at what is happening in the apple sector beyond European borders", says Walter Guerra, congress coordinator and deputy director of the Laimburg Research Centre. "In previous editions, we have addressed the issue of international dynamics on several occasions, but we have never explored Latin America in such a specific way. This is where the idea of dedicating a day to this area came from, covering production zones that are very different from one another and equally heterogeneous consumer markets. It is an interesting perspective because it allows us to observe the apple sector from a new point of view, between climate challenges, competitiveness, agronomic innovation and commercial dynamics. We have no doubt that the day dedicated to the evolution of application technologies will also attract great interest among operators in the sector".

Programme and tickets

The full programme is available on the website. Registration is now open and, until 31 August 2026, tickets can be purchased at the reduced early-bird rate of 72 euros.

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