The Prognosfruit Conference is Europe’s leading annual event for the apple and pear sector, gathering growers from across Europe and beyond. Prognosfruit 2026 will take place in Constance, Germany, from the 5th to the 7th of August 2026, with a milestone for the event, celebrating 50 years of uninterrupted editions of Prognosfruit. Registration is now open, and stakeholders and journalists are welcome to register via the Prognosfruit website.

Prognosfruit, the leading annual event for the apple and pear sector, will take place in Constance, Germany, from the 5th to the 7th of August 2026. Prognosfruit 2026 is organised by WAPA in cooperation with BVEO (Bundesvereinigung der Erzeugerorganisationen Obst und Gemüse e.V.). Registration is now open on the Prognosfruit website.

Since 1976, Prognosfruit has released the annual forecast of apple and pear production for the upcoming season, with a conference organised in a different country each year. In 2026, the three-day event during which the report will be released will see representatives of the sector gather to discuss the Northern Hemisphere situation as well as global perspectives for apples and pears. Following the Prognosfruit Conference on August 6, the delegates will have the opportunity to participate in juice production and fruit research visits.

“We are proud to host Prognosfruit in one of Europe’s important fruit-growing regions. Lake Constance offers the perfect surroundings to discuss the future of the apple and pear sector.” BVEO Managing Director Dr. Christian Weseloh stated.

The programme of Prognosfruit 2026, the online registration form to attend the conference, and the link to book your accommodation in Constance are all available on the Prognosfruit website. Register by 7 June 2026 to take advantage of the Early Bird Fee and book your accommodation by 22 June 2026 to take advantage of the discount rates for selected hotels in Constance! Due to the “Konstanzer Seenachtfest”, the renowned lakeside festivals taking place on 8 August 2026, the city of Konstanz experiences a high demand for accommodation at the beginning of August.

Overview of Prognosfruit 2026

• Wednesday, 5 August 2026: Welcome reception at Castle Mainau, Island of Mainau by Lake Constance
• Thursday, 6 August 2026: Prognosfruit 2026 Conference, at the Bodenseeforum Conference Centre in Constance
• Thursday, 6 August 2026: Gala Dinner at the Konzil Constance
• Friday, 7 August 2026: Technical visits to the Widemann Bodensee-Kelterei in Barmatingen for juice production and to the Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee (fruit research station) in Ravensburg/Bavendorf

The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE), the advocacy group for the fresh fruit industry in the Southern Hemisphere, has changed its name to Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance (SFA), and adopted a new logo. This is to better reflect the 34-year-old organisation’s mission of unifying the diverse and unique Southern fruit sector, championing its cause and nurturing environmentally, socially and economically sustainable global value chains for the region’s fruits.

“We are delighted to announce that the change of name and the transition process that we initiated earlier this year has now been completed,” said Nathan Hancock, SFA president and CEO of Citrus Australia. “Our new beginning and brand are designed to help us truly unite the fruit industry – from producers to exporters in the entire Southern Hemisphere – so that we may more effectively advocate for the cause of the sector. “Speaking with one voice, our alliance will be able to make the case that fresh fruits from the Southern Hemisphere are essential to prosperity in the region, and provide a crucial contribution to the health and well-being of consumers worldwide.”

The change from “Association” to “Alliance” may seem simple, but it embodies the organisation’s primary mission as it grows into its fourth decade. “By definition, an alliance is an entity forged for the mutual benefit of all,” said Jorge de Souza, vice-president of the Alliance, and technical and project manager at Abrafrutas (Brazil). “That is the essence of the new Southern Hemisphere Fruit Alliance – to re-ignite an organisation into one whose aim is to benefit all: our producers and growers, the workers they employ, and the consumers who enjoy our delicious fruits.”

A new membership structure reflects the Alliance’s belief that uniting the field is paramount. It includes full and supporting member categories, designed to bring together industry players in the Southern Hemisphere with their counterparts in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as with global providers of inputs and services.

“Our new name and structure signal our resolve to unite the fresh fruit industry so that we can speak with one strong voice. We are no longer the trade association for the Southern Hemisphere fruit industry, but rather the allegiance aimed at advancing its cause,” said Hancock.