Fruit Focus reinforces its position as the UK’s premier fruit event

Fruit Focus is underlining its position as the industry’s leading fruit event with a renewed emphasis on top fruit this year, adding to its detailed coverage of soft fruit, stonefruit, bush fruit and vines.

Promotional body English Apples and Pears is exhibiting and working with organiser Haymarket Exhibitions to deliver a comprehensive top fruit programme at Fruit Focus 2014, which returns to East Malling Research, Kent on 23 July.

This increased focus on top fruit will widen the event’s already broad appeal, says event director Jon Day of Haymarket Exhibitions.

So far 120 exhibitors have confirmed their attendance, covering all aspects of technology, agronomy, machinery and business information that helped to attract over 1200 visitors to last year’s event.

Adrian Barlow, EAP chief executive, says: “The continuing development of the English apple industry, combined with new varieties and advances in storage, is creating huge opportunities to increase sales, not least by extending the season. Due to its timing, Fruit Focus will enable us to highlight the potential, particularly for increased sales in the summer.”

Mack, the specialist fruit supplier to multiple retailers, returns as Fruit Focus principal sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. Managing director Nigel Trood says: “Really useful opportunities for UK fruit growers to meet are few and far between. That’s why we see Fruit Focus as an unmissable event for Mack and as a core part of our calendar – and why I’d encourage growers across all UK fruit crops to make attendance a priority.”

Mack’s close involvement helps demonstrate to growers how Mack can offer a unique market opportunity with Britain’s best-known retailers, he adds. In addition, the Mack stand will highlight the company’s strawberry LED lighting project, offer tastings of a wide range of established and trial varieties of berries and stonefruit and will introduce several important new team members at Mack.

Sessions this year include protecting crops and pollinators, with NFU horticulture adviser Dr. Chris Hartfield, and seasonal labour in a post-SAWS environment with Paul Broadbent, chief executive of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, and David Camp, chief executive of the Association of Labour Providers. Simon Hinks, product technical manager for Sainsbury's will then talk about the retailer’s growers and its vision for UK fruit.

Fruit Focus host East Malling Research will again highlight some of its latest and most important trial work in the fruit research tours. Three guided tours take place, covering management of the pheromone trials, the concept pear orchard and the EMR Rhizolab, a unique facility that allows in situ observation and sampling of perennial crops, both above ground and below ground.

In the live Demonstration Arena, visitors can see and hear about some of the latest kit being put through its paces, which have recently included specialist fruit tractors, self-steering kits, novel anchoring systems and the latest top and soft fruit sprayers.

Tickets for Fruit Focus 2014 cost £10 and are available online or on the day. For more information about tickets and the event go to www.fruitfocus.co.uk.

For more information:
Robert Harris
Fruit Focus PR
Tel: +44 01424 883383
or +44 07768 402850
Email: robert@roberthcomms.co.uk

Jon Day
Haymarket Business Exhibitions
Tel: +44 01788 892042
or +44 07717 541500
Email: jon.day@haymarket.com