New Zealand warms up for World Avocado Congress

Jen Scoular, chief executive of New Zealand Avocado and president of the World Avocado Congress Committee, said: “We can’t wait to welcome the brightest minds in avocados to our shores; international growers, researchers, marketers, retailers, tech innovators, investors and more. The congress is an incredible opportunity to showcase our avocados and raise visibility of New Zealand on the world produce stage, while also demonstrating our differentiated story to grow value and volume into developing markets.”

Almost 30 countries are represented among the stakeholders already registered to attend, with more than half coming from outside New Zealand and Australia. The World Avocado Congress will be one of the first and largest global trade events to be held in New Zealand following the opening of borders after the pandemic.

The theme for the congress is ‘Respect’: “Respect for people and the land plays a special part in New Zealand’s identity. It underpins who we are as a people and a nation. While the term ‘sustainability’ has become a trendy word in recent years, it’s essential we demonstrate a committed, and not tokenistic, approach. To ensure the sustainable growth of the global avocado industry, we all need play our part in this global conversation,” said Scoular.

The congress will include a three-day academic programme with international keynote speakers and three programme streams covering a wide range of avocado topics, from breeding and genomics to agri-tech innovation, pest and diseases, country reports, sustainability and more.