The organiser DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) reports that over 1,850 exhibitors from 40 countries have already booked stands at Agritechnica, the international exhibition for agricultural machinery to be held in Hanover from 10 to 14 November 2009 (Preview Days on 8 and 9 November), including 300 new exhibitors. Dr. Jochen Köckler, Managing Director of the DLG Exhibitions Department, points out that despite the current difficult situation on most of the world’s agricultural market, these encouraging figures have already reached the same level as those of the record event two years ago. As Dr. Köckler stressed, all the leading companies in the industry will be represented at Agritechnica 2009 where they will be launching their innovations and current further developments in a comprehensive campaign. He added that Agritechnica had thus once again impressively confirmed its position as the world’s leading exhibition for agricultural machinery and was the world meeting place for manufacturers of agricultural machinery. “This is where business farmers, key customers from trade, industry and research institutions from all over Europe and the whole world, as well as representatives from the fields of politics, consultancy and associations come together.”
According to the Managing Director of DLG’s Exhibitions Department, the exhibition floor space has grown especially in the fields of machinery and equipment for tillage and seed-bed preparation, for fertilising and transport, as well as for harvest conditioning.
Outstanding participation from outside Germany
More than 45 per cent of the exhibitors come from outside Germany. The largest contingents among the 828 foreign participants who have booked stands so far come from Italy (257), the Netherlands (77), France (61), Austria (57), Turkey (52), Denmark (31), Spain (31), China (30), Canada (30), Finland (25) and the United Kingdom (21). The strong participation from Sweden (19 exhibitors), Poland (17), India (16), Belgium (14) and the Czech Republic (13) is also most encouraging. Furthermore, Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Canada and the USA have announced country pavilions. The DLG sees the high foreign participation as a distinct indication of the increasingly global orientation of the agricultural machinery industry and agribusiness with its worldwide interlinkages. Manufacturers want to make specific use of this platform to tap and develop new markets.
Reasons for good attendance
The DLG cites essentially two reasons for the excellent response by exhibitors – firstly the clear positioning of Agritechnica as the global meeting place for the agricultural machinery industry with its high magnetic attraction for business farmers, and secondly the fact that Agritechnica has always been the worldwide showcase for innovations. For years now manufacturers of agricultural machinery and equipment have been gearing their innovation cycles to Agritechnica in Hanover and exhibiting their innovations for the world market there. Furthermore, Agritechnica is also characterised by the exceptionally high quality of its visitors. At the last event two years ago 340,000 trade visitors including 72,000 from outside Germany came to Hanover to gather information.
Fresh exhibition grounds concept with new hall occupation
As a result of the extra demand for hall floor space, the DLG has integrated two further halls at Hanover’s Exhibition Grounds into the Agritechnica concept. This has led to the concept of key areas and distribution between the halls being developed further. The objective of the new key area concept is on the one hand to present Agritechnica structured as far as possible according to thematic areas with a view to optimal visitor orientation and product presentation, and on the other hand to achieve optimal dispersion of visitors over the entire exhibition site. Consequently the new halls 25 and 26 allow visitors to undertake a tour round the west of the Exhibition Grounds. A centre for forage harvesting equipment and machinery will be set up for the first time in Hall 27, while tractors and combines will be presented in Hall 13.
"World Soil and Water Show" at Agritechnica 2009
In 2009 Agritechnica will be devoting special attention to the theme of “Soil and Water”. Soil and water are the key production factors in agriculture. The greatest challenge for agriculture in future will lie in their efficient and sustainable use. Within the context of a "World Soil and Water Show“, concepts of innovative soil tillage and water use at various sites worldwide will be presented by way of example in Hall 11 on an exhibition floor space of some 1,500 m². Visitors will be able to gather information compactly about innovative concepts and solutions in tillage and irrigation. For instance, the ‘Special’ will show how water availability can be developed for agriculture at various locations and what measures farmers can take to secure water supply on their own land. The soil tillage concepts presented will point up ways of water conservation and improved water availability in the soil. Irrigation concepts will explain the forward-looking deployment of irrigation systems.
Dealer and Used Machinery Trade Center
The Used Machinery Center in Hall 7 will be an important pitstop for all dealers. It provides an outstanding platform for establishing contacts with representatives serving global demand for used equipment and machinery. Participants include used machinery dealers, online forums, auctioneers, banks, logistic companies and many others. The International Dealer Centre run by the Association of German Agricultural Machinery Dealers and Mechanics (H.A.G.) and the European umbrella association CLIMMAR is at the same time the contact forum and port of call for all partners in service and distribution of European agricultural machinery manufacturers.
Special “Workshop LIVE”
Good service performance and optimally trained staff are key prerequisites for smooth functioning of the agricultural machinery market. In cooperation with the Association of German Agricultural Machinery Dealers and Mechanics (H.A.G.), the requirements made at the various qualification stages (apprentice, service technician and master craftsman) for agricultural and construction machinery mechanics will be illustrated with practical demonstrations and commentaries on maintenance and conversion work. Extensive information from the bodies providing training in these professions will also be available.
Top-flight international technical programme
Thanks to its top-flight technical programme with a large number of international events such as congresses, workshops and forums, Agritechnica is considered to be the most important arena for the future in the field of agriculture. This is where trends in machinery and equipment are pointed up and where all key issues concerning the future of agriculture as well as of agricultural machinery and equipment are discussed. The following events are among those taking place:
- International Agricultural Engineering Congress on 6 and 7 November 2009,
- Agricultural Markets 2010 on 10 November 2009,
- Seed Congress on 11 November 2009,
- Eastern European Conference on 11 November 2009,
- German-Chinese Agricultural Machinery Dialogue on 12 November 2009,
- European Young Farmers and Students Day on 12/13 November 2009.
In addition representatives from academic institutions, consultancy business, the manufacturing industry and practical farming will be presenting current trends and important developments concerning interesting thematic areas in agriculture every day at three Forums set up at Agritechnica. Many of these forum events are also of substantial interest for international visitors, as they will be offered with German/English simultaneous interpreting.
Commissioner Dalli visits the European Food Safety Authority in Parma