The World Avocado Congress (WAC) is a quadrennial meeting of avocado producers, researchers, marketers and other interested parties from several countries, for the purpose of information sharing and networking.

History

The congress was founded by Jan Toerien.[1] The first WAC was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987.[2] During the planning session for the second WAC in 1991 Dr. Mary-Lu Arpaia, a researcher from the University of California Riverside, proposed that an International Avocado Society (IAS) be formed and charged with the responsibility of organizing the WAC every four years. It was accepted by vote and the IAS was formed, with representatives from different countries selected for its initial organizing committee. At the first meeting of these representatives on 26 April 1991, Hank Brokaw and Dr. Arpaia was elected as co-chairs.[3]

List of Congresses

CongressDatesLocationPresident(s)
IMay 1987Johannesburg, South AfricaJan Toerien
II21–26 April 1991Orange, CaliforniaHank Brokaw
III22–27 October 1995Tel Aviv, IsraelAmos Blumenfeld
IV1999MexicoDaniel Teliz
V2003Málaga, SpainFernando Pliego-Alfaro
VI2007Viña del Mar, ChileMonica Castro
VII2011Cairns, AustraliaAntony Allen
VIII13–18 September 2015Lima, PeruJames Bosworth Crovetto
IX24–26 September 2019Medellín, Colombia
X2–5 April 2023Auckland, New Zealand

References

  1. Brokaw, W.H. (1987). "The World Avocado Congress: What We Learned" (PDF). California Avocado Society 1987 Yearbook. 71: 49–54.
  2. Opening Address of the first World Avocado Congress
  3. "IAS - A bit of history".
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