"Our organization was founded and held its first meeting in Bonn in 1993 with the participation of representatives from Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, and Italy. Since then, many other countries have been invited and joined. At present, 26 countries are represented, " says Geza Bujdoso, President of EUFRIN, who will be speaking at the VIP (Varieties International Project) at Macfrut.
EUFRIN is an informal, voluntary, and non-profit organization of university departments and research institutes focused on the research, development, and extension of cultivated fruit varieties in Europe.
"Pome, stone, and nut fruits are faced with a number of challenges, both existing and emerging, including the effects of climate change, the cultivation of new fruit varieties, new market demands, biodiversity, tolerance or single or multiple resistance to pests and diseases. Today's fruit research is supported by modern technology, which allows for more precise results. Time is always a limiting factor, and sometimes practice requires final results as soon as possible, but in the case of woody fruit species, several years of gestation are required. Another limiting factor is the lack of adequate applications for long-term, multi-stage projects."
He continues: "Today, there is a strong focus on local breeding programs supported by biotechnology to increase biodiversity; multi-site trials of crop technologies have been conducted under different climatic conditions to achieve multi-level results. Crop protection requires innovative solutions in the use of chemicals and their application, as consumers prefer low-residue end products. Digitalization and precision techniques are good tools for researchers and farmers, but we need to understand their limitations. Some issues are becoming more critical today, such as irrigation, thinning, crop management, and post-harvest, which can determine the success of production."
In recent years, the number of approved varieties has increased, and many wonder if there should be a limit. According to the president, "I believe that there can be no limit. If we think about how long it takes to select a variety, and how expensive this activity is, we realize that the only way to get a return on investment is to license the newly bred varieties. Of course, this activity requires additional costs, so the variety must have extremely good characteristics.
In terms of communication, he continues, "Information circulates between research and production. Innovations developed by researchers are made available to growers, who need data, experience, and suggestions from research. EUFRIN is open to this dialogue, so we invite representatives of growers, nurseries, cooperatives, and companies that produce materials for practice to the events of the working group."
Looking ahead to the MacFruit event in May 2025, Bujdoso says: "The next event will be a great opportunity to see what is going on in the fruit sector. I also believe that it is always helpful to learn new information for better results. Innovation is all around us, so we should be part of it or follow it. I suggest that Freshplaza readers think about the segments they need and focus on those topics, presentations, and exhibitors' stands."
EUFRIN can have a maximum of two representatives per country. The Board is formed by the representatives of the member countries. New member countries and new members are proposed by the current board members. The candidate must be employed in a governmental research organization and must have a brilliant view of the fruit-growing sector in his country, as well as a good track record in fruit growing. The candidate will be required to make a presentation to the Governing Council, which will vote on the final membership. This is a voluntary role. Council members elect the board members, two secretaries, and the president for a three-year period.
EUFRIN is made up of 15 working groups. Each working group focuses on a specific topic. Researchers and members of the industry are members of the working groups and meet regularly.
All these issues, both Italian and foreign, will be discussed in detail during the VIP (Varieties International Project) at Macfrut (download the poster here).
You can register for the VIP by clicking here.
For more information:
www.macfrut.com/nursery
www.eufrin.eu