500 international buyers are expected at Macfrut in Rimini, the international fruit and vegetable fair that will open its doors on Tuesday 7 September. The one on display is a key sector of Made in Italy agri-food, which alone is worth a fifth of the entire sector for a value of 15 billion euros, with 1.2 million hectares planted with fruit and vegetables and 300 thousand companies involved. The event marks a return in attendance after more than a year and a half of virtual relationships and records high numbers despite the fear for the Delta variant of Covid: there will be 800 exhibitors including fruit and vegetable producers, machinery industries, packaging and logistics. At the same time as Macfrut, Rimini will also host Fieravicola.
Last year fruit and vegetables grew by + 3.8% in terms of exports, against the average + 2.5% per year between 2014 and 2019. Italy is among the 10 main exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables in the world, with 5 billion in turnover on foreign markets and a growth of 32% in ten years. In Europe, Italy is the second producer behind Spain. Italians are the largest consumers of fruit and thirds of vegetables in Europe: 90% of people eat fruit or vegetables on a daily basis. During the lockdown, consumption recorded a jump of 20% for fruit and 13% for vegetables. 28% of national fruit and vegetable companies go organic and 36% are dedicated to integrated production.
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“Commercial relations are primarily personal relations – said Renzo Piraccini, president of Macfrut, presenting the 2021 edition of the fair – and in recent months they have undergone several restrictions due to the impossibility of being present at large specialized events. . The numbers show that the operators have a great desire and a strong need to meet again ». Macfrut will also talk about the calamities, from hailstorms to fires, which increasingly hit the sector, causing considerable damage and bringing companies and operators to their knees: “It is necessary to increase the competitiveness of the fruit and vegetable entrepreneur, implementing strategies through which production agriculture can recover or manage to retain a greater share of added value », said Dino Scanavino, president of the Italian CIA-Agricoltori, who will be present at the Rimini fair. A special event will then be organized together with FAO for the international year of fruit and vegetables, as well as a series of initiatives are planned by the Sardinia Region, partner of the 38th edition.
There is a strong presence abroad not only as buyers, but also as exhibitors. Among the new entries this year are Cuba, with 10 participating companies, the stand of Panama, that of Georgia (8 companies), Lebanon (10 companies), Indonesia (4 companies) and Vietnam (2 companies) . The Africa Pavilion has been confirmed with new arrivals from Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.And where physical presence is not possible, the Macfrut Digital platform makes up for it, which allows you to expand relations with distant countries, create b2b meetings, follow registrations conferences and visit the virtual stands of the exhibiting companies.