Showcasing NZ horticulture to the world!

Jen Scoular, president of the World Avocado Congress Committee and chief executive of New Zealand Avocado, says last week's Avocado Congress held in Auckland offered an unprecedented opportunity to promote NZ's avocado industry to the world.

"Though we only produce about 2% of the global avocado supply and we're the ninth largest avocado exporter in the world, avocados are NZ's third largest horticulture export behind kiwifruit and apples," she told Hort News. "We play a significant part in the country's horticulture industry."

Last week's congress attached 1,100 delegates, including 750 overeas delegates made up of growers, scientists, researchers, marketers, retailers, tech innovators, and investors.

Scoular says many were visiting New Zealand for the first time.

Overseas delegates toured eight locations, including sites in Glenbrook, Tapora, Whangarei and the Bay of Plenty to get a taste of NZ avocado and orchards.

Scoular says given the unprecedented weather in NZ, which has raised food security concerns for parts of our priary sectors, the topics explored at the congress were relevant for all Kiwis.

"It was incredibly timely to hear experts talk about the future of food, climate change and the global impacts on horticulture," she says. "It's been a tough few years for kiwi growers and the whole industry has faced ongoing challenges with the supply chain and rising costs of production."

The World Avocado Congress is held every four years, with previous events hosted in Colombia, Peru, Australia and Chile.

The theme for the 2023 Congress was 'Respectful: respect for people, respect for the environment and respect for our future'.

"Respect for people and land plays a special part in Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural identity and, as the global avocado industry continues to evolve, respect must be at the heart of this growth," says Scoular.