The event, organised in collaboration with Macfrut, attracted over 1,200 visitors from 25 countries who are active in the Asparagus and the Berry supply chains.
The technical sessions of the International Asparagus Days and the International Berries Days, both of which took place in Bordeaux, were a great success, attracting leading asparagus and berry experts from around the world. Organised by Macfrut, Befve&Co. and Interco Nouvelle-Aquitaine, this major event welcomed more than 125 exhibitors and 1,200 visitors from over 25 countries worldwide.
Choosing Planasa in Le Barp as the location turned out to be an excellent decision, as it gave visitors the chance to gain first-hand insight into a wide variety of inputs and nursery materials, as well as the latest harvesting and packaging technologies for asparagus and berries. Significant emphasis was placed on technologies for detecting key climate parameters, which are crucial for farmers seeking to remain competitive. These technologies are particularly relevant today, given the growing challenges that producers are facing due to climate change across Europe and the rest of the world.
The event’s highlights were the technical field visits (on 7 and 10 October), which provided hundreds of visitors with the chance to observe and evaluate key factors such as varietal aspects, planting techniques and much more. Technical and business meetings took place on 8 and 9 October, with the participation of numerous exhibitors who analysed the latest developments in the asparagus and berries sectors. Several research programmes on different types of berries (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries) launched by companies and research institutes, were presented over the course of these two days. There was also a roundtable discussion about the main issues involved in cultivating and marketing these fruits. From a technical perspective, the most interesting visits were those to the blueberry, strawberry and asparagus fields, as was the conference on the topic of ‘What innovations to improve growers’ performance (in genetic and technical features)?’.
Field demonstrations were conducted with a particular focus on asparagus, the objective of which was to enable participants to develop a more profound awareness of the challenges currently being faced by the sector. These challenges include the limited availability of labour, which threatens the development of labour-intensive species and increases production costs, thereby reducing consumption. These highly interesting topics were touched upon during the inauguration, when various speeches were given by Alain Rousset, president of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France, Erica Troiani from Macfrut, Luciano Trentini, consultant for the horticultural sector, Christian Befve of Befve & Co, who co-organised the Symposium, and Christine Pecastaingts of Interco Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
All of the Italian exhibitors present were highly qualified professionals. Companies such as Asquini, Bagioni and Bassi then proceeded to demonstrate and explain how asparagus harvesters work to a large audience. In fact, these machines are now being used extensively around the world, especially in regions where labour is becoming increasingly scarce. In terms of green asparagus, demonstrations were given of robotic harvesting of asparagus spears, which further demonstrated the great potential for innovation in this field. In addition, Italian producers attended the trade show to express their interest in either starting to cultivate asparagus or expanding existing crops.
‘These “in-the-field” events provide valuable opportunities to deliver training, share information and showcase innovations in processes and products,’ said Luciano Trentini at the end of the event. ‘Once again, Macfrut has shown how actively it is involved in these programmes, which have been organised alongside the activities connected to the trade fair, which is scheduled to take place at the Rimini Expo Centre from 21 to 23 April 2026.’
Professor Bruno Mezzetti of the Marche Polytechnic University also had positive things to say: ‘Such initiatives are vital for fostering closer relationships with producers, understanding their research and experimentation needs, and identifying the most effective promotional strategies.’
Fonte: Macfrut
