Record number of exhibitors at Macfrut 2013

The inauguration of the 2013 edition of Macfrut focused on internationalisation and was attended by a record number of participants. The 30th edition of the international exhibition dedicated to the fruit and vegetable supply chain achieved a new record number of exhibitors: this year 817 exhibitors attended, compared to 800 exhibitors at the previous edition.

Macfrut 2013 began on September 25 with a conference entitled “New Relationships between the US and the EU: Opportunities for the Fruit and Vegetable Industry”, aimed at analysing the main points of the new EU-US Free Trade Agreement. At the opening of the event, the Italian authorities present highlighted the international atmosphere of Macfrut, which, this year, hosts delegations from 5 continents, as well as 10 international ambassadors, with a marked increase in participants from the Mediterranean basin, the Balkan region, China and Brazil.

The previous day, a summit entitled “The Kiwi Sector in between Emergency and Market” was held, during which forecasts of world production for 2013/2014 were provided by Elisa Macchi, Manager of the CSO – the Italian Fruit and Vegetable Service Centre. The production of actinidia will see a 5% increase in Italy and a 7% increase in Spain, whereas a decrease in production is forecasted for California (-23%), Greece and South Korea (-15%), and France (-13%).

Macfrut will continue with a focus session on high-quality PDO and PGI products, as well as an event concerning the opportunities offered by fresh convenience products. On Friday, the 27th of Sept., the Oscar Macfrut Award Ceremony dedicated to innovative achievements was held and the award was given to five different product categories.

For more information:
Luca Speroni, International Press Office
Macfrut c/o Fruitecom srl
Tel: +39 059 7863894
Fax: +39 059 7863889
Email: luca.speroni@fruitecom.it