“AgroBerry&Veg 2026: Berry & Vegetable Business and Processing. Technologies, Innovations, Success” – International Scientific and Practical Conference Will Take Place in Rivne on September 16–18

Conference Theme: “The Ukrainian Producer After Four Years of War: Resilience, Technologies, Development”

On September 16–18, 2026, the 49th International Scientific and Practical Conference “AgroBerry&Veg 2026: Berry & Vegetable Business and Processing. Technologies, Innovations, Success” will take place in Rivne, Ukraine, at the Optima Collection Bergshloss Hotel (14 Petra Mohyly St.). The large-scale industry event will bring together berry and vegetable growers, managers of processing enterprises, representatives of industry associations, researchers, technology and equipment suppliers to discuss the future of the sector amid the ongoing war and global challenges.

The conference will focus on practical solutions for the development of modern berry and vegetable production, including cultivation technologies, mechanization, post-harvest handling, processing, climate change adaptation, international best practices, and improving the competitiveness of agricultural production.

Today, Ukraine’s berry and vegetable sectors are among the most dynamic and technologically advanced branches of agriculture. They continue to develop rapidly, creating high-value products and expanding export opportunities. At the same time, the fourth year of the full-scale war, labour shortages, rising production costs, and climate change are forcing producers to seek new approaches—improving efficiency, optimizing costs, adapting technologies to new realities, and creating competitive products.

These challenges and opportunities will be at the heart of the AgroBerry&Veg 2026 International Scientific and Practical Conference: Berry & Vegetable Business and Processing. Technologies, Innovations, Success.

The conference programme includes:

            ●          September 16 – Berry & Veg Academy educational platform;

            ●          September 17 – the main conference day featuring expert presentations, discussions on key industry trends, and a technology exhibition showcasing modern solutions for berry growing, vegetable production, horticulture, and the processing industry;

            ●          September 18 – a business tour to leading agricultural enterprises in the Rivne and Volyn regions: Lesia Ukrainka Agricultural Cooperative and Povnyi Koshyk LLC.

The central theme of the conference—“The Ukrainian Producer After Four Years of War: Resilience, Technologies, Development”—defines the entire programme.

Resilience reflects the experience Ukrainian producers have gained over the past years. It is their ability to continue operating, adapt to changing conditions, make decisions in an environment of constant uncertainty, and preserve their capacity for growth even during the most challenging times.

Technologies are the key instrument for responding to today’s challenges. Mechanization, automation, advanced plant nutrition and crop protection systems, biological solutions, energy-efficient technologies, digital innovations, post-harvest handling, sorting, cooling, and modern processing equipment already enable producers to increase productivity, use resources more efficiently, and minimize losses.

Development is the ultimate goal. It means building a competitive farm that focuses not only on achieving high yields but also on profitability, producing value-added products, meeting the demands of today’s market, and confidently planning for the future.

This concept forms the foundation of the AgroBerry&Veg 2026 programme. Rather than being a collection of individual presentations, the conference has been designed as a comprehensive professional journey for today’s producers—from understanding emerging challenges to implementing practical solutions that improve farm management and business performance.

Both international and Ukrainian experience demonstrate a growing trend toward integrating berry and vegetable production within the same farming enterprise. Producers increasingly utilize shared infrastructure for cultivation, storage, sorting, and packaging, enabling greater operational efficiency while diversifying business risks. Particular attention is being paid to protected cultivation technologies, the expansion of processing capacities, and the implementation of modern post-harvest handling solutions, which create new opportunities for both the berry and vegetable sectors.

The conference aims to promote and facilitate the adoption of modern technologies for the cultivation and processing of berries, vegetables, and other fruits, encourage the revival of traditional Ukrainian fruit-, berry-, and vegetable-based beverages, and support the production of high-value-added products. As always, the event will serve as Ukraine’s leading platform for exchanging ideas and bringing together all stakeholders of the berry and vegetable industry.

AgroBerry&Veg 2026 will bring together growers, farm owners and managers, researchers, consultants, international experts, manufacturers of agricultural machinery and equipment, processors, trading companies, industry associations, and everyone committed to advancing Ukraine’s berry and vegetable industries.

September 16 – Berry & Veg Academy: A Practical Academy of Modern Berry and Vegetable Farming

This year’s Academy will be held under the theme:

“Autumn School of the Modern Farmer: From the First Idea to a Profitable Berry and Vegetable Farm.”

The educational platform for berry and vegetable producers and processors will bring together leading Ukrainian and international experts. Among the keynote speakers are internationally recognized berry consultants Iryna Kobrynets, Hanna Lutsko, and Zinoviia Yelinska.

The Academy will take place in a separate conference hall at the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (Building No. 2, Room 211, 75 Oleksy Novaka Street, Rivne, Ukraine). Participants will benefit from a comprehensive and well-structured programme dedicated to the current challenges and future prospects of the berry and vegetable industries.

The Academy’s mission is to demonstrate how the same challenge can be addressed in two of the fastest-growing sectors of modern horticulture. Each topic will be examined through three professional perspectives: berry production, vegetable production, and practical technological solutions.

Participants will gain an objective overview of current market trends, practical insights from experienced producers, access to modern technological solutions, evaluations of the economic feasibility of various production approaches, and strategic recommendations for making informed decisions for their own businesses.

The programme will address the industry’s key question:

Which crops and business models will ensure stable and profitable growth for Ukrainian producers over the next decade?

The Academy programme is built around the three most important strategic decisions that determine the success of a modern farming enterprise.

Decision One

“Seven Principles of a Successful Berry Business: From an Idea to a Profitable Farm”

Hanna Lutsko is an international berry industry consultant with 27 years of professional experience. She specializes in developing cultivation strategies, implementing innovative production technologies, and designing practical approaches to increasing both yields and product quality.

Where should you start when building a berry business?

●       Start with the market—not with the plant.

●       Water is the most critical production resource.

●       Technology must support the chosen business model.

●       Profitability is more important than record-breaking yields.

●       Product quality is built throughout the entire growing season.

●       Risks should be managed proactively rather than reacted to.

●       The future belongs to those who make decisions based on data.

Key Points

            1.         We no longer compete with berries—we compete with business models.

            2.         Why today’s winners are not the largest producers, but the best-organized ones.

            3.         The most important and costly decision is made before planting—this is the moment when a farmer determines the future of the business.

            4.         There is no universally profitable crop—only the crop that best fits the specific farm.

            5.         Global trends shaping the berry industry.

Decision Two

“How to Choose the Right Production Technology for Your Farm”

Iryna Kobrynets is a PhD in Agricultural Sciences, a berry production expert, and an agronomy consultant with more than 20 years of experience in managing and developing berry enterprises.

Key topics of the presentation

            ●          Where to begin: which technological components are essential from the start and which can be introduced gradually.

            ●          How to choose between intensive, extensive, and organic production models.

            ●          Is it worth investing in mechanization from the very beginning? Which operations should be mechanized first, and where manual labour remains economically justified.

            ●          How to select the most appropriate irrigation, fertigation, mulching, crop-covering, and other technological systems.

            ●          Biological or chemical crop protection: when each approach is most effective, whether they can be combined, and how to develop an integrated crop protection strategy.

Decision Three

“Which Vegetable Crop Should You Choose for Your First Agricultural Business?”

Zinoviia Yelinska is a modern vegetable production expert and a leading agronomy consultant with many years of professional experience in crop production.

Key topics of the presentation

            ●          Which vegetable crops currently offer the best opportunities for starting a farming business.

            ●          How to select crops according to available land, investment budget, and production resources.

            ●          Whether it is worth investing in niche crops such as asparagus, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, garlic, pumpkins, and others.

            ●          Which crops provide the greatest value-added potential.

            ●          How to assess market demand before planting.

            ●          Which vegetable crops are best suited for the fresh market and which are more suitable for processing.

            ●          How combining berry and vegetable production can improve the resilience of a farming enterprise.

            ●          The most common mistakes made by newcomers to the vegetable business—and how to avoid them.

Each presentation will be based on the real-life experience of Ukrainian producers, an analysis of the 2026 production season, and practical recommendations for the 2027 season. Participants can expect an open and honest discussion about what truly delivers results today, which technologies have proven effective, which crops offer the greatest potential, and how to make strategic decisions that ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of their farms.

Conference and Academy Partners

            ●          Main Berry Partner: Association of Blueberry Producers of Ukraine.

            ●          Industry Partner (Freezing Technologies): Yarofrut LLC.

            ●          Main Organizational Partner: National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE).

September 17 – AgroBerry&Veg 2026 Conference Day

Development Pathways for the Berry and Vegetable Industry: Key Conference Sessions

The conference will feature a series of thematic sessions dedicated to the most pressing challenges and future opportunities for the berry and vegetable sectors. The programme covers a broad range of topics—from long-term industry trends and advanced cultivation technologies to post-harvest handling, processing, international best practices, and successful case studies from Ukrainian producers.

Each thematic session is designed to provide practical solutions that are already helping agricultural enterprises improve efficiency, reduce production costs, and adapt to rapidly changing market and climate conditions.

The first session will focus on the major transformations already shaping the future of berry and vegetable production. Together with leading Ukrainian and international experts, participants will discuss the impact of climate change, energy challenges, water scarcity, labour shortages, and economic pressures on agricultural production. The emphasis will be placed not only on identifying challenges but, more importantly, on presenting practical solutions that have already proven successful in commercial farming operations.

The following session will examine technologies that directly influence production efficiency. Leading companies will showcase modern solutions in mechanization, automation, precision fertilization, plant nutrition systems, digital machinery management, energy-efficient technologies, and production process optimization.

Special attention will be given to the questions that concern every producer today: How can labour productivity be increased? How can dependence on seasonal workers be reduced? How can production costs be lowered while ensuring a strong return on investment?

A separate conference session will be devoted to adapting agricultural production to climate change. Participants will learn about protected cultivation technologies, tunnel production systems, solutions for protecting crops against heat, hail, and frost, advanced plant nutrition under climatic stress, biological production technologies, integrated pest management (IPM), and the use of beneficial insects (entomophages). All topics will be presented through real-life case studies and practical experience from Ukrainian and European producers.

Particular emphasis will also be placed on post-harvest handling, as this is the stage where producers either preserve product quality and maximize added value—or lose a significant share of their potential income. Modern sorting systems, automatic weighing, cooling technologies, cold-chain management, and storage solutions have become essential for supplying both retail chains and export markets.

The experience of producers themselves will be another key element of the conference programme. Participants will hear success stories from farming enterprises that have successfully developed berry businesses, established their own brands, invested in value-added processing, and identified new opportunities for increasing product value. Practical experience remains one of the most valuable sources of knowledge for evaluating technologies, understanding common mistakes, and making informed business decisions.

The international dimension of the conference is equally important. Experts from Poland and the Netherlands will present the latest developments in protected cultivation, mechanization, strawberry and asparagus production, and technological solutions that have already become industry standards across Europe. This will provide Ukrainian producers with an opportunity not only to learn about global trends but also to assess which technologies are economically viable under Ukrainian production conditions.

Public Tasting, Exhibition, and Live Professional Networking

During the conference, an exhibition of modern technologies and equipment for berry growing, vegetable production, horticulture, viticulture, and nut production will be open. Participants will have the opportunity to explore innovative solutions for their farms and businesses in a hands-on format.

A special highlight of the event will be the exhibition and tasting of processed products. Guests will be able to sample a wide range of fruit, berry, and vegetable products—from frozen fruits and juices to jams, desserts, and dried fruits—as well as see modern raw materials and ingredients used in the food industry.

Traditionally, a wine tasting will be held featuring wines from the conference’s wine partners. The day will conclude with a friendly networking dinner for all participants and partners—an informal setting where new business ideas, projects, and partnerships are often born.

Charity Auction in Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

An important tradition of the conference is the charity auction in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Each year, participants actively contribute to fundraising efforts, and thanks to their joint support, significant financial assistance is provided to Ukrainian defenders.

Business Tour

On September 18, participants will have the opportunity to join a business tour to leading agricultural enterprises in Volyn — Lesia Ukrainka Agricultural Cooperative and Povnyi Koshyk LLC.

The conference will be valuable both for experienced producers planning to modernize their farms and for those considering investment in high-profit agricultural sectors. Berry growing and vegetable production remain industries where professional knowledge, properly selected technologies, and effective management can generate significantly higher added value compared to many other crop production sectors. That is why the demand for modern solutions, practical experience, and professional dialogue in these fields continues to grow.

AgroBerry&Veg 2026 is a conference about modern berry and vegetable business—about how to build a farm that combines resilience, advanced technologies, and sustainable development under new economic and climatic conditions. This is how competitiveness is formed today, and with it—the future of Ukrainian berry and vegetable production.

AgroBerry&Veg 2026 is innovation that transforms harvest into profit.

Main Legal Partner: IP and Law firm “Pakharenko and Partners”

Main Technology Partner of the Conference: EFT GROUP

Main Energy Partner: “Solar Systems” (energy efficiency solutions)

Main Industry Partner (Blueberry): Association of Blueberry Producers of Ukraine

Main Industry Partner: Ukrainian Horticultural and Viticulture Association (UkrSadVinProm)

Industry Partner of the Conference: Association “Ukrainian Berry Growing”

Main Technology Partner for Humic Products: Agrotechnosoyuz LLC

Main Organizational and Beer Partner: Enterprise “Riven”

Organizer: Media Group “Technologies and Innovations”

Since 2011, the media group “Technologies and Innovations” has been publishing professional industry magazines: Horticulture and Vegetable Growing. Technologies and Innovations, Berry Field, Nut Wood and Drinks/ Beer. Technologies and Innovations. These publications are read by farmers, farm managers, technologists, scientists, and processors across the country. Through conferences, business tours, training programs, and information resources, the media group builds a professional community that drives the development of Ukraine’s fruit and berry industry.

Media Partners of the Conference: specialized industry magazines Horticulture and Vegetable Growing. Technologies and Innovations, Yagodnik, Horshnik, Beverages. Technologies and Innovations, websites www.jagodnik.info, www.techhorticulture.com, www.techdrinks.info

Registration and Participation Terms

Registration for the conference: https://forms.gle/SBeA5b64dmLjSVLr7

Participation as a delegate

For agricultural producers:

            ●          3000 UAH – participation on September 17 (conference day)

            ●          2500 UAH – Business Tour (available only with participation on September 17)

            ●          3500 UAH – T&I Berry&Fruit Academy (available only with participation on September 17)

For non-agricultural companies:

            ●          4000 UAH – participation on September 17 (conference day)

            ●          2500 UAH – Business Tour (available only with participation on September 17)

            ●          3500 UAH – T&I Berry&Fruit Academy (available only with participation on September 17)

The participation fee includes: coffee breaks, lunch, buffet dinner, on-site service during the event, participation in product and beverage tastings, a conference participant package with informational materials, a detailed post-event report with final speaker presentations sent by email, and contact details of all partner exhibitors and speakers.

Accommodation

Hotel booking: “Optima Collection Bergschloss Rivne”

Tel.: +380 67 238 27 78

Discount for conference participants: 10%

Promo code: Berry Conference

Registration and partnership contacts

            ●          Larysa: +38 097 96 89 516, sad.nti@ukr.net

            ●          Anna: +38 097 759 25 83, reklama.nti@gmail.com

            ●          Iryna: +38 096 49 166 92, oksana.buh.ti@gmail.com

Project Manager: Nadiia Yashchuk, +38 (068) 568-58-22, rnadia@ukr.net

Creative Director: Kateryna Koneva, Editor-in-Chief of “Technologies and Innovations”, +38 067 238 18 51, kateryna.koneva@gmail.com