The 35th edition of MACFRUT, the main international event dedicated to fruit and vegetables, has concluded with the presence of 43 thousand visitors during the three days of the fair, consolidating in this edition a strong international presence (25% of presences).
Particularly positive was the balance of TROPICAL FOOD CONGESS dedicated to the Mango and Avocado supply chains, recording the presence of 300 operators, 80% of whom were overseas.
For three days, the protagonists of the fruit and vegetable sector, a fresh sector of record with an export that has reached 5.1 billion euros (+ 2.5% over 2017), gathered in the Romagna Fairgrounds, which grew at the same level of the sector, providing over 55 thousand square meters of occupied space (+ 10% on 2017, + 100% in four years) and eight pavilions, which have hosted over 1,100 exhibitors, 25% of which are overseas (+ 40% in four years).
Although at European level it continues to be preceded by size and importance by the German Fruit Logistica and the Spanish Fruit Attraction, the Rimini kermesse has carved out an international role thanks to the choice not to compete as a product fair, but structuring itself as a supply chain fair. Eleven are the exhibition sectors representing all the links in the system: seeds; vegetable news and nursery; field technologies; technical means; production, trade and distribution; biological; post harvesting machinery and technologies; packaging materials and packaging; fourth range; logistics and, finally, services.
Many news of the 35th edition starting from the great cohesion around the fair. In Macfrut, in addition to many private and cooperative companies, the main organizations of the fruit and vegetable sector, from Aci (Association of Italian Cooperatives) to Fruitimprese, from Italy fruit and vegetables to Italmercati, from Fedagro markets to Assosementi, from Cso Italy to Assomela , from Coldiretti to Anbi (Italian Reclamation Association).
The performances of the sector
Following the boost to export of the sector, Macfrut is a candidate for a strategic role as an international hub. Twenty international missions have "sowed" the fruit and vegetable festival on four continents, with positive results in terms of exhibitors and participants. All this is added to a general framework that sees the increase of invited international buyers, arrived at the record number of 1,500 (four years ago there were 250), with which the exhibitors were able to interconnect through the b2b multimedia platform made available to them.
The presence of the major European Gdo groups, thirty top international food buyers invited in synergy with Cibus, a strong participation from Eastern Europe of buyers and producers, as well as the presence of the main Persian Gulf importers (Emirati, Bahrain) , Qatar), India and South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore).
The novelties of 2018
Several new proposals are proposed for all sectors of the supply chain, from the genetics of seed companies to pre and post harvest technologies, up to the fourth range; but also a lot of mechanization, with 15 thousand meters dedicated to the pre-harvest area - Macfrut field solution - with all the main industry news and a 'dynamic' area, AcquaCampus, of 500 square meters where you can see the technologically more advanced irrigation.
Daniele Toni