The third International Strawberry Congress is coming ever closer. The congress, which will last several days, takes place at the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp in Belgium from 6 to 8 September. The aim of this event is to bridge the gap between commercialisation and science.
Consumer central
This year the key theme is the consumer. “The first time we had sustainability as a theme, the second time it was innovation, and now our theme is the consumer. We have noticed the importance of consumers in all links of the supply chain. We have a marketing component, and effective research into how consumers see strawberries in shops, and how purchasing behaviour can be influenced and guided will also get a chance in that. There are techniques for that, and various speakers will give useful tips.”
Live demonstration of strawberry picking robot
The automated harvesting of strawberries is complex: moving through the greenhouse, selecting the ripe strawberries, picking these without damaging them and then sorting them into their final packaging. A picking robot has to be capable of this to have any practical value. “We are proud to report that the latest prototype of Octinion’s completely automated strawberry picking robot will be presented during the congress. Don’t miss this unique opportunity and experience live how this robot operates.”
“The excursions on Friday will be new at this edition. Instead of one excursion, two excursions with completely different programmes will be offered. Tour 1 primarily focuses on cultivation techniques & research (Hoogstraten growers - Proefcentrum Hoogstraten), while Tour 2 is more focused on improvement and multiplication (Limgroup - Vissers - BVB Substrates),” Leen concludes.