This November 12 and 13, Chile's capital city will transform into the horticultural hub of Latin America, playing host to an unprecedented regional event.

The Produce Marketing Association's PMA Fruittrade Latin America will gather representatives from across the supply chain, including producers, importers and exporters, major retail chains, and shipping companies.

The two-day conference comes as the fruit of a strategic alliance between PMA, the Chilean Fruit Producers Federation (Fedefruta) and Yentzen Group. The agreement replaces previous, individual conventions held between PMA and Fedefruta.

PMA vice president of global business development, Nancy Tucker, described the timing of the conference as ideal for buyers to come together in Santiago and generate business opportunities.

"Chile is an important country. There are opportunities in many parts of the world, but here in Chile we have a very sophisticated industry and people who stand out in what they do and lead their businesses in special ways. By bringing together the industry in this country, we will have a successful event," Tucker said.

Fedefruta president Cristián Allendes emphasized the importance of representing the entire Latin American horticultural industry in one event.

"We are going to bring together Latin America's horticultural chain in Chile where we are going to join producers from Chile and all of Latin America who want to export and promote their products to the world," Allendes said.

"We are going to include the shipping industry and hope that from there, they form annual meetings here. We are going to have industry suppliers for packaging, freight, machinery, refrigeration and everything else that we need today to supply world markets."

PMA country council president for Chile, Miguel Allamand, highlighted the powerful potential of this strategic alliance.

"In the last two years, we have insistently sought out that PMA establish an international event in Latin America, equivalent to what is done in other continents. In this effort, the incorporation of Fedefruta, with all of its potential, was extraordinarily valuable," Allamand said.

"Today we hold an alliance with PMA that is unique on a global level. We want to transform this event into a tremendous opportunity for the horticultural industry and all of the countries that comprise Latin America."

Chile's minister of agriculture, Luis Mayol, also attended the event launch, where he congratulated the initiative as a positive step forward for Chile.

"Here there is a very intelligent vision of where this sector needs to go, which is to integrate the entire supply chain to make this business even more dynamic. This is what the world is calling on us to do," Mayol said.

"From here until 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization indicates that demand for food will double. We are in the Southern Hemisphere and this will mean greater demand from the Northern Hemisphere ... We are obliged to take advantage of this opportunity and that is why we need to aim high and remain up to date.

"These types of initiatives are what place us on a higher level. We are integrating ourselves globally with all of the actors along the supply chain that produce a virtuous cycle of export."

An estimated 90 exhibitors and over 2,000 attendees are expected at the event. PMA includes membership from over 45 countries, encouraging an even more international event.

Gustavo Yentzen, president and founder of Yentzen Group, reiterated the strategic importance of this event not only for Chile but for fruit traders across Latin America.

"This alliance creates a unique opportunity for the Chilean and Latin American industries through its power to bring together the entire commercial chain of Latin American fruits and vegetables in just one place," Yentzen said.

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