On December 5, 2024, Kosovo will host the 9th International Raspberry Conference, an event that consolidates the country's central role in the berry sector. The event will take place at the Hotel Emerald, in the Beethoven Hall, in Pristina, welcoming experts, producers, and stakeholders from across Europe, with a particular focus on collaboration with Italy. This article also includes a summary of the contributions of Italian speakers present at the conference: Alice Patella (Battistini Vivai), Alessandro Gualandi (G-Berries), and Paolo Zucchi (Sant'Orsola).
Kosovo's Role in Raspberry Production
Despite its small territory, Kosovo has emerged as a significant player in raspberry cultivation, with approximately 1,200 hectares dedicated to production and an annual yield ranging from 3,000 to 8,000 tons. About 70% of the production is destined for export to European Union countries, while the remaining 30% meets the local market's needs.
Focus on Adapting to Climate Change
This year’s edition of the conference will focus on the theme "Adapting Raspberry Cultivation to Climate Challenges". Participants will have the opportunity to discuss innovative strategies to tackle high summer temperatures, which pose one of the sector's main challenges.
Photo: Battistini Vivai
An Italian-Kosovar Collaboration
This year's event strengthens the cooperation between Kosovo and Italy in the raspberry sector. Prominent Italian companies, such as G-Berries, Sant’Orsola, Battistini Vivai, and Irritec, will showcase their innovations in breeding, irrigation technologies, and sustainable cultivation techniques. Among the Italian speakers, Alessandro Gualandi from G-Berries will discuss new perspectives for the sector, and Paolo Zucchi from Sant’Orsola will elaborate on the role of breeders and growers.
Agenda of the Day
The conference will begin at 8:30 AM with registration and the official opening, followed by speeches from prominent figures such as the Kosovo Minister of Agriculture, representatives of USAID, and the Austrian Development Agency. Key moments include:
- Session 1 (9:50 – 11:20): Sector analysis, new breeding concepts, and future strategies.
- Session 2 (11:50 – 13:20): Innovative irrigation technologies, biostimulants for enhanced photosynthesis, and sustainable fertilization strategies.
- Networking and B2B meetings (2:20 – 4:00 PM): An opportunity for producers and companies to create new synergies.
A Vision for the Future
Starting in 2025, Kosovo will intensify collaborations with Italian companies to introduce new raspberry varieties, aiming to improve the sector's quality and competitiveness on a global scale.
The event represents a unique opportunity to delve into innovation and growth opportunities in a rapidly developing sector.
Italian Speakers
Alice Patella (Battistini Vivai)
Researcher Alice Patella from Battistini Vivai will present a talk entitled “Strategies for the Future through the Raspberry Breeding Program and an Innovative Tissue Culture Lab”. The focus of the presentation will be the VitroLeaf tissue culture lab, inaugurated last May and designed to ensure high-quality plants with genetic uniformity, advanced health control, and sustainable techniques to address environmental and production challenges.
Alice Patella will highlight one of Battistini Vivai's flagship projects: research into raspberry genetic improvement. "The program started in 2019 and currently involves 12,000 seedlings tested in the field to evaluate yield and resistance under real conditions; 5,000 seedlings grown in pots for more controlled and specific tests; over 77 planned crosses aimed at combining specific genetic traits; and more than 40 open-pollination crosses to broaden the genetic base and discover new potentials."
Experimental raspberry field by Battistini Vivai
During the presentation, the goal of selecting raspberry varieties combining productivity, disease resistance, and organoleptic quality will be discussed, providing concrete solutions for producers and meeting the expectations of an increasingly demanding market.
Alessandro Gualandi (G-Berries)
Alessandro Gualandi, variety development manager at G-Berries, will deliver a presentation titled "Molari Berries & Breeding's concepts for a stronger and balanced growth of the berry industry". According to Gualandi, "the berry industry is evolving rapidly. Climate changes, market dynamics, ventures, emerging production areas, and diverse consumer needs require us to connect all market players: nurseries, growers, marketing companies, and customers."
"At Molari Berries and Breeding, we are working on various concepts that we believe will provide better tools for all stakeholders in the berry industry: Easy Concept, Gil Program, Naike blueberry club, and Blackberry year-round."
Paolo Zucchi (Sant'Orsola)
The presentation “Sant'Orsola SCA: Breeding, Growers, and Beyond” aims to take conference attendees on a virtual tour of Sant’Orsola's berry world. Presenter Paolo Zucchi shared with Italian Berry: "The journey starts with the cooperative's history, spanning from historic photos of the 1970s to modern videos of activities at the Berry Village: a physical and social hub that represents more than an innovative production facility, but a district evolving over time while integrating with the territory, tackling market challenges through research and innovation."
Zucchi continues: "The story of how berries reach consumers begins daily, starting in the fields. Across Italy, over 750 members hand-pick the fruit to be delivered to the cooperative. From that moment, the cold chain remains uninterrupted through all processing stages: storage, quality control, packaging, labeling, picking, and shipping."
Sant'Orsola headquarters
Sant’Orsola pioneered an industrial vision of berries in Italy and their cultivation in soilless systems. In his presentation, Zucchi highlights that Sant'Orsola "has encountered new challenges, solved by expanding the range of services offered to members over time. These include a specialized agricultural supply store, an office dedicated to easing bureaucratic and financial processes for members, a team of technical consultants, a laboratory for analysis, and even a raspberry breeding program."
"Evaluating new genotypes under the same environment and cultivation techniques as the farmers accelerates the selection process for the most suitable material to meet both the cooperative's market needs and members' agronomic requirements. This 20-year commitment has resulted in the registration of 12 raspberry varieties, now present on five continents."
Finally, Paolo Zucchi will invite participants to the Berry Village, which in 2027 will host the XIV International Rubus and Ribes Symposium. Sant’Orsola will be the first private company to organize the most important global scientific conference on raspberries, blackberries, and currants.
Alin Mitulescu (Irritec)
Dr Mitulescu will give a short presentation of Irritec and its most popular products and irrigation solutions. He will then present Irritec's complete solution designed to meet the irrigation needs of farmers, from water optimisation to drippers.
