Technical showcase promised at Fruit Focus 2010

New varieties, new technologies and innovative marketing will be the core themes for the UK fruit and wine sector at Fruit Focus 2010. The event, which will be held at East Malling Research, Kent, on 21st July 2010,  has built a reputation for its technical content, ‘live’ crop demonstrations and its probing Forum programme.

Attracting an increasing number of visitors, Fruit Focus brings together more than 1,200 growers and industry professionals with over 100 leading suppliers to the fruit and wine production sectors, showcasing all aspects of pre-harvest technology, agronomy, machinery and equipment, business information and post-harvest technology through to delivery to the retailer.

Jon Day, Haymarket Exhibitions Event Manager says that “our event partners, Berry Gardens, the NFU, Syngenta Bioline, English Wine Producers, UKVA combined with event host, East Malling Research have been instrumental in developing and event which addresses the primary issues facing the top fruit, soft fruit and vine markets.”

Mr Day adds that “although the sector faces some big challenges, the impact of the recession has not hampered the sector’s ability to innovate, nor, in many cases has the economic downturn stifled product and market development which shows the resilience and focus of the UK fruit and vine industries.”

Fruit Focus has earned a reputation for its technical content which last year’s visitors said made the event unique in its practical and visual delivery of the latest in varieties, growing innovations and management techniques.

Varieties
Exhibitors are planning a rich and diverse range of content; four new strawberry varieties from the breeding programme at East Malling Research (EMR) will be featured on the Meiosis stand.  Elegance, Fenella and Lucy are June-bearing varieties, while Finesse is an ‘everbearer’.
Head of the strawberry-breeding programme at EMR, Dr David Simpson, said: “The EMR programme develops varieties that are available to all growers and we aim to offer a range that will meet the requirements for different growing systems and markets in the UK and northern Europe. These four varieties have been extensively trialled in UK conditions and we have been very pleased with the results. They will offer growers some exciting new alternatives, whether they are supplying supermarkets or doing direct sales through farm shops or pick-your-own.”

Netherlands-based Vissers Aardbeiplanten BV will also be launching the new strawberry variety ‘Elianny’.  Developed by Albert Konings, the breed originated in 1998 and since then has been improved with the result of a strawberry that is bright red, firm and very tasty with good storability and shelf life and characterised by a high percentage of Class 1 fruit.

Research & pest control
HDC will highlight the most recent developments and research results from some of the key soft fruit and tree fruit projects it has funded. Copies of the recently published Soft Fruit and Tree Fruit Review magazines will be available on the stand.

“The recently up-dated strawberry crop walkers’ guide will also be available and research into reducing pesticide residues in strawberry and raspberry will be advertised along with work on strawberry herbicides, pear sucker control and the problem of mouldy core in apples,” said Scott Raffle, HDC’s Communications Manager.

Norman Collett will be talking bees. Work completed last year indicates that managing pollinator levels in an orchard will have a significant impact on factors like synchronicity and storage potential, not to mention greater consistency of colour and size.

To date, the top-fruit industry has been unable to take advantage of these hard working pollinators because the commercially sold bumblebees are not native to the UK; their use has been restricted to glasshouse cultivation and poly-tunnels. However, the Belgium based company Biobest has been successful in rearing the native British bumblebees (Bombus terrestris audax) in limited quantities. Norman Collett’s technical director Nigel Jenner took delivery of the first bees in the spring, with the placement of multi-hives in three commercial apple orchards. Performance will be monitored alongside managed solitary bees introduced into the orchards to enhance pollination rates. This two tier research programme will look into the pollination needs of new varieties of apple and how compact orchard layout influences fruit development.

Agralan, recognised for the supply of products that allow the reduction of, or alternatives to, the use of pesticides will focus on pollination and biological controls.  A range of non-poisonous and effective treatments for many pest problems in the garden will be on show along with native British bumblebee hives for pollination of outdoor crops.

For Berry Gardens Fruit Focus will primarily be a hospitality event to provide a meeting point for its growers, customers, partners, industry bodies and suppliers. Plus growers who might be prospective members can find out about new varieties and the benefits of membership.

Fruit Focus highlights for 2010 also include:
• Crop trials from manufacturers and research bodies demonstrating new varieties, breeding and plant stock and agrochemical, fertilisers and biological control developments
• A live demonstration arena showing the latest machinery and equipment in action, including tractors, soft and top fruit sprayers and bed formers
• Vines to Wines, the business to business technical event for the viticulture industry in the UK. Exhibitors in the Vines to Wines area will include demonstrations of new vine varieties, crop protection options, fertilisers and nutrition, viticulture equipment, winery design and winemaking.
• NFU & Syngenta Bioline Fruit Forums – topics include Waitrose discussing the future of fresh produce procurement and Professor Ian Crute of AHDB outlining and responding to the industry’s need for R&D
• East Malling Farm Tours of the latest fruit research, a must for anyone interested in seeing the work that East Malling Research is involved in.

Tickets for Fruit Focus are available free of charge by registering through the event website at www.fruitfocus.co.uk.  Visitors will also earn points for attending: 3 NRoSO points and 3 BASIS points.

---Ends---
963 words

Contact for more information:
Jane Craigie
Tel: 01466 780078
Mob: 07795 278767
Email: jane@janecraigie.com

Notes to Editors
Fruit Focus 2010:
• Fruit Focus takes place on 21stJuly 2010, at East Malling, Kent.  Opening times are 9am – 4pm.
• Show features include leading suppliers’ stands, crop plots, a live demonstration area, the  NFU and Syngenta Bioline Fruit Forums, fruit research farm tours and the Vines to Wine exhibition and seminar programme
• Key sponsors are the NFU, Berry Gardens and Syngenta Bioline
• Fresh Produce Journal is the event media partner
• Fruit Focus is organised and presented by Haymarket Business Exhibitions and supported by Horticulture Week/Grower
• Fruit Focus is registered for BASIS and NRoSO CPD points.  Point allocation is:
       o 3 NRoSO CPD points.
       o 3 BASIS points. Points allocation: 1 x crop protection, 1 x environment, 1 x application
          practice