The Secretary of Food, Rosa Cubel, inaugurated the congress, which is part of the implementation of the Master Plan for the Orchard of Catalonia. The event aims to improve the competitiveness and viability of horticultural farms through new tools and technologies.
Cubel emphasized the need to enhance Catalonia's capacity for food production, noting that horticultural land has decreased by 26% between 2020 and 2025. "We have a very clear objective: to work towards promoting orchards in Catalonia and achieving greater production," she stated.
The Technified Orchard Plan 2026-2028, recently approved, is a key tool for addressing challenges such as rising production costs, climate change, and the need for efficient resource use. It includes aid for technified greenhouses, the creation of a high-tech greenhouse, and a network of demonstration sites.
Over the two days, the congress will bring together specialists to discuss technification, digitalization, agroecological transition, sustainability, ecosystem services, as well as the social and economic role of orchards and commercialization challenges, including the function of urban orchards.
