On Monday evening the IX World Avocado Congress was officially opened with a welcoming reception held at the Botanical Gardens in Medellin, Colombia.
Guests were welcomed on arrival by a traditional Colombian band and dancers.
Pedro Pablo Diaz and Jorge Alberto Uribe from Colpohass welcomed everyone to Medellin, with a special mention for the visitors who had travelled a long way to be there. Mr Dias thanked the Colombian avocado growers and packers for all they have done to make the event a success.
There was also a thank you to the Mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutierrez for his support.
Tomas Rios Munera, General Manager of AgriLink said how happy he was to welcome so many people to Medellin and was happy that Medellin has become the avocado hub.
The welcoming event was finished off by a stunning performance by Union Latina, a youth acting academy.
The World Avocado Congress will run for three days at the Plaza Mayor Convention Centre, Medellin and features a whole host of avocado experts.