We continue to add new stops along the promotional journey of the World Pistachio Congress (WPC). The next stop is Toledo, where the World Congress will take centre stage at the closing session of PistaDica 2026, the 3rd National Pistachio Innovation Forum.
The presentation is designed to put the World Congress in front of the people who shape the Spanish pistachio sector every day: producers, cooperatives, processors, marketers and technical professionals. The event brings together an audience that exceeded 450 professionals in its previous edition and takes place in the heart of Castilla-La Mancha, the region that accounts for nearly 80% of Spain’s pistachio-growing area.
Being present at one of Spain’s major sector events is a source of great satisfaction for us and also an opportunity to state clearly what the WPC aims to be: the meeting point where the global pistachio sector comes together to discuss its future.
A programme covering the entire value chain
The event, hosted by Castilla-La Mancha Media journalist Jorge Jaramillo Sánchez, who specialises in agri-food reporting, will begin with an opening session featuring Juan Manuel Merino, Agro Manager at Repsol, and Ernesto Tardío Boo, CEO of Solagro Ingeniería Alimentaria.
The first session, focusing on market strategies, will open with a presentation by Ernesto Tardío on the competitiveness of Manchego pistachios. This will be followed by a round table moderated by Juan Vilar, which will examine international demand and the strategic positioning of Spanish pistachios, with the participation of Fouad Lilabadi (Jupiter Pistachios GmbH), Norbert Gasser (Fruit Service and Agrícola Monteverde), Richard Matoian (former CEO of American Pistachio Growers), Álvaro Parraga (Calconut), Helena Solana (Importaco Nuts) and Ignacio Lobato, President of the Castilla-La Mancha Pistachio Interprofessional Organisation.
The second session will focus on the field and production. Esaú Martínez Burgos, Senior Research Technician specialising in woody crops at the El Chaparrillo Agro-Environmental Centre (IRIAF), will explain how Spain can increase its production efficiency in preparation for the future of the pistachio sector. He will then moderate a panel discussion on the agronomic challenges facing the crop, including water sustainability, technological innovation and coexistence between different production models, together with José Joaquín Gómez Alarcón (FENACORE), Luis Martínez Solano (Nature Pistachio S. Coop. de Castilla-La Mancha), María Escribano (Grupo Elaia) and Patricia Rodríguez (Grupo IberoPistacho).
The innovation and industry session will feature two presentations: Baltasar Lobato, from Repsol, will present a multi-energy solution for pistachio drying facilities, while Javier Martín Moreno, Technical and Commercial Director at Solagro, will address the technological standards the pistachio sector needs to compete in the global market. Martín Moreno will also moderate the final round table, focusing on the technological integration of processing plants and industry, with José Ángel Torres Cantos (Europea del Pistacho), Carlos Suárez (Nuevos Cultivos Agrarios), Pablo Moragues (La Mancha Farms) and David Pardo Pérez-Pimentel (SAT del Campo).
The closing session will be led by Ricardo Migueláñez, General Coordinator of the World Pistachio Congress, and Ernesto Tardío Boo. The programme will also include networking opportunities throughout the day, as well as breakfast and a final lunch.
Being present at one of Spain’s major sector events is a source of great satisfaction for us and also an opportunity to state clearly what the WPC aims to be: the meeting point where the global pistachio sector comes together to discuss its future.
For the full programme, please visit PistaDica 2026 – Canal Dica.
Registration is now open. Those interested can request their accreditation through PistaDica 2026 – Canal Dica.
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