The South African Avocado Growers Association (SAAGA) Annual Research Symposium took place in Tzaneen on 16 February. Members of the Avocado Research Programme (ARP) attended as one of the group’s MSc students, Casey Gill, was presenting her research. Casey’s presentation focused on her work on the fungi associated with ambrosia beetles that infect avocado trees in commercial orchards in South Africa. The talk and the information it provided were very well received by those in attendance. Many of the presentations at the symposium were pertinent to the work being done by the ARP and provided insight into the significance of our work and also gave opportunities to expand the knowledge of avocado cultivation and its challenges. The symposium also provided the opportunity to make new contacts and see collaborators that live far from Pretoria as there was ample time for conversation over coffee and lunch.