First International Berry Seminar held in Mexico

29/08/2018 - Biobest Mexico was proud to stage the first International Berry Seminar in the state of Jalisco – right at the heart of this rapidly growing sector in Mexican horticulture. In this region, berry cultivation takes place on more than 6000ha. Major international companies - including Driscoll´s and Hortifrut - are focusing their attention here helping smaller growers become more sustainable.

With Biobest’s focus on sustainability and crop health, the event set out to bring the region’s berry growers up-to-date with latest developments in the world of integrated pest management and growing innovations to help them achieve their goals.

Proving highly popular, the seminar attracted representatives from across the Mexican sector keen to adopt new ways to manage their crops and optimise production. Delegates were keen to learn about the latest biological control products, strategies and growing techniques from around the world. The lineup of knowledgeable and experienced speakers included Julien Mourrut-Salesse (Biobest Group), Javier Palma (Biobest Spain) and independent consultants Julio Volante from Spain and Daniel Ibarra from the US. They shared the platform with IMEX nutrition specialists Moises Moreno and Jorge Larios, and soil disinfection specialists Estefania Ramos and Ricardo Rodriguez.

This first event was deemed a great success, giving the berry community in Jalisco access to the information and tools to help them make the transition to more healthy and sustainable production.

“Plenty of good ideas were explored and supported by technical backup and in-field experiences,” says Julio Ruelas Jurado, berry producer. “With subjects discussed in some depth, the event provided lots of useful information to help berry companies in this region adopt good agricultural practices.”

Juan Bernardo Díaz Mata, technical advisor, was particularly interested to learn about differences in the growing techniques employed in Spain and similarities with those in the USA. “It was useful because of the common control techniques and the economic thresholds for the release of beneficials. Well organised, the event provided a wealth of information and innovative ideas regarding the topics addressed.”