The international potato industry will gather in Madrid this October for the inaugural International Symposium of Potato, a new event organised by FEPEX in partnership with Europatat and Fruit Attraction.

The symposium will take place on 5 October at IFEMA Madrid, one day before the opening of Fruit Attraction 2026, which has designated the potato as its flagship product for this year’s edition.

According to the organisers, the event is expected to attract more than 400 participants from across Europe and beyond, including growers, traders, seed potato specialists, processors, retailers, researchers, service providers and representatives of public institutions.

The programme will address some of the sector’s most pressing issues, including sustainable potato production, plant health, breeding and genetic improvement, technological innovation, consumption trends, marketing and the crop’s role in future agri-food systems. Organisers say the symposium is intended to encourage dialogue and knowledge exchange across the entire potato value chain while strengthening collaboration between industry stakeholders.

The event will run from 16:00 to 18:00, followed by a networking reception until 19:30 at the North Convention Centre of IFEMA Madrid. Additional details on the programme, speakers and registration are expected to be announced in the coming months.

The symposium forms part of the wider Fruit Attraction programme, which will take place from 6 to 8 October in Madrid. Organised by FEPEX and IFEMA Madrid, the exhibition has selected potatoes as its Star Product for 2026, placing the crop at the centre of this year’s technical sessions and promotional activities.