AIPH conference showcases Portugal's horticulture

Added on 13 April 2023

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AIPH conference showcases Portugal's horticulture

Set against the backdrop of sunny Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, the Ornamental Horticulture in Portugal Conference welcomed academic experts and industry professionals to speak about the opportunities the country offers and the challenges it faces.

The conference, which took place on 14^th March, was organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Portuguese Association of Producers of Natural Plants and Flowers (APPP-FN) and sponsored by GLOBALG.A.P. It was a part of the AIPH Spring Meeting where members come together from around the world.

Ricardo Silvestre, Vice-President of APPP-FN, opened the conference with an overview of the association’s work. He said: “One of the major aims of APPP-FN is to promote dialogue among professionals, institutions, and society, in order to make Portuguese ornamental production more competitive.”

Portugal has a long history with flowers, with Montijo – a region close to Lisbon – being the heart of flower production in the country. Ricardo highlighted that changes in EU legislation regarding plant health is a big issue for Portuguese growers as it is difficult to keep up-to-date.

Miguel Costa, a researcher and lecturer at the University of Lisbon, gave a comprehensive overview of the ornamental horticultural industry in Portugal. Miguel commented: “We are a small country, but we are the 8^th top producer of ornamentals in Europe.”