Italian Berry presents “Piemonte Berry 2026”, the new event dedicated to varietal innovation in berries, scheduled for 24 February 2026 in Saluzzo.
The initiative, aimed at Piedmontese growers and technical specialists, was created to offer a broad and up-to-date overview of the main varietal innovations in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. In a context of agronomic and market changes, the goal is to provide operators with concrete tools to improve profitability, ensure production continuity and strengthen Piedmont’s leadership within the national berry supply chain.
Piemonte Berry 2026 will be reserved for Piedmontese operators and technicians, with the aim of presenting the supply chain with a complete overview of the main varietal innovations in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Directly from the varietal developers, growers will be able to assess the characteristics, productivity and yields of the varieties of the future.
Full support from all industry associations
All local associations have been involved in the Piemonte Berry event from the planning stage, and this unanimous support is a strong indication of the shared intention to reinforce Piedmont’s national leadership as the leading Italian berry-producing region.
Alessandra Sacchetto (Asprofrut) stated: “This project was created to give new momentum to a dynamic and evolving sector. With Piemonte Berry, we want to showcase the productive potential of the region and the work of Asprofrut’s member companies in bringing high-quality berries to the market.”
Davide Veglia said: “As director of Ortofruit Italia and part of the Orbita SB project, we represent an organisation that markets over 10,000 quintals of blueberries each year. Piemonte Berry 2026 is a strategic opportunity for us to strengthen dialogue among the main berry producers in Piedmont and enhance quality, innovation and sustainability — pillars that have always guided our work.”
Eraldo Barale (president of Joinfruit) confirmed: “Joinfruit believes in the potential of Piedmontese fruit and in the quality-driven path we are building in the berry sector. Piemonte Berry 2026 is a strategic occasion to highlight and promote our supply chain.”
Agrion, the Piedmont Foundation for agricultural research, innovation and technological development, also confirmed its participation, contributing findings from local trials on various berry varieties.
The programme
The event will take place on 24 February 2026 with two separate programmes.
Piedmontese growers will attend a broad session in which breeders will present their varietal programmes, with a particular focus on new developments. This session is free of charge, with mandatory pre-registration.
Technical specialists will follow a two-part programme: the first with breeders on varietal innovation, and the second consisting of four technical training sessions led by Marco R. Butera (betterberries), an independent agronomic consultant specialised in berry cultivation.
For more than ten years, Butera has supported farms in the design, management and optimisation of berry crops, including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants. Since 2023, he has worked as an international agricultural consultant in over 15 countries, from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East.
The paid technical sessions will cover blueberries (soil and soilless cultivation, fertilisation and nutrition, varieties, labour and markets) as well as a technical update on blackberries and raspberries.
