Agricultural Trade and Commerce between Europe and Asia Experiencing a Smooth Flow and Success as Expected

Thanks to “Horti ASIA” and “AGRITECHNICA Asia” “VNU” and “DLG” Already Prepared for Year 2018

Bangkok-Frankfurt — March 23, 2017.

Horti ASIA 2017, the 5th International Tradeshow for Horticultural and Floricultural Production and Processing Technology, has returned to meet with success, with the theme “Solutions to Modern-day Agricultural Problems”, thereby focusing upon showcasing and exhibiting technology advancements, innovations, tools and equipment suitable for horticultural industry, including fruit, flower and vegetable, as well as orchid, in Asia. So has AGRITECHNICA Asia 2017, the trade show of technology and innovation of agricultural machinery and equipment. This year (2017) marks the first occasion upon which connection and an exchange of leading and major innovations from Europe and Asia are organized in Thailand. Both events, which are held from March 15 through March 17, 2017, at BITEC, Bangkok, has experienced success as expected, with the more than 219 world-renowned companies and entrepreneurs from 42 countries worldwide participating in showcasing the latest technologies and innovations to their names; as well as a groundbreaking number of visitors amounting to 8,168 trade visitors from 76 countries – excluding thousands of livestock professionals from VIV Asia.

On March 15, 2017, VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. and DLG International GmbH have collaborated in officiating the opening ceremony of Horti ASIA 2017, the 5th International Tradeshow for Horticultural and Floricultural Production and Processing Technology, over which Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (of Thailand) Dr. Thanit Anekvit is kind enough to have presided and therein to have provided the opening speech. The aforementioned event is also honored by Mr. Nino Gruettke, Managing Director, VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, Mr. Philipp Schulze Esking, Vice President, DLG Service GmbH, Mr. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Prof. Dr. Aalt Dijkhuizen, President, The Netherlands Agri & Food Topsector, Mr. Axel Wildner, Counsellor for Food and Agriculture, The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and His Excellency Mr. Paul Menkveld, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, all of who are kind enough to have borne witness to the historical event in which Thailand will be elevated to become the centre of agricultural exportation to the global market, and in which “Thailand 4.0” policy, as drawn up by the governmental sector, will be practically utilized with an aim to enhance the quality of life and to create new ideas and initiatives apropos of further development of Thailand’s agricultural business sector into a beau ideal of modern-day agricultural paradigm.

The course of three days collectively marks the occasion upon which the aforementioned event has experienced success as witnessed by the growth rate of international trade visitors increase 32 percent in comparison with that of year 2015 from 76 countries. Year 2017 is another one in which the aforementioned event has garnered warm welcome from a large number of entrepreneurs who were more than actively participating therein. Such breakthrough would have become unattainable had there been no grace of the German Agricultural Society, by virtue of which several leading companies from the European continent are kind enough to have taken part accordingly, thus the inception of new businesses and presentation of more suitable innovations and products to tropical plants, being introduced during Horti ASIA 2017. The aforementioned event also witnessed participation in tradeshow and exhibition activities by 130 companies in total from 22 countries worldwide, thereby covering the entire process of agriculture including but not limited to: breeding (and improvement) and seed production; cultivation technology; storage; temperature control system’ packaging’ weight result processing and labeling; technology for both quality assurance (i.e. inspection, etc.) and certification/compliance; consultancy on logistics and transportation; tools and equipment in agricultural activities; as well as greenhouse technology. In fact, the one that garners particular interest from several of international buyers is none but the beau ideal of International Pavilion zone at this event i.e. the pavilions from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and, last but not least, Thailand’s booth organized in a concerted effort by the Thai government, the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

AGRITECHNICA Asia 2017, which is held for the first time in Asia, has garnered nothing less than warm welcome from myriads of leading international businesspersons, especially those from Asia. There are more than 89 companies from 20 countries worldwide, thereby covering the paradigm of technologies for agricultural machineries and tractors, as well as storage and “transportation”, as well as bio-energy production, by mainly focusing upon cultivation of industrial crops such as rice, sugar cane, tapioca/cassava, oil palm and field corn. There are two outstanding pavilions in particular i.e. China and Taiwan. The ‘Chinese’ pavilion has provided for more than 10 companies, each equipped with its own innovations to be showcased during the event. The Taiwanese counterpart has by all means garnered a similar level of great interest as well. The key highlight of AGRITECHNICA Asia 2017 that interests foreign visitors in particular is the conference and seminar on how to use high-level agricultural machineries; this particular segment is presented by teams of experts from leading European companies. Over the course of three days, Both events, with their monumental success, in process help generate income of more than Baht 10bn (10,000,000,000) to Thailand.

Another major campaign that has been warmly embraced by several of international entities is none but the “Hosted Buyer Program”, the special project that invites ‘major’ buyers from ‘all’ continents to open the market and take part in joint venture, or the likes, in Asia throughout the course of the event, the phenomenon of which has thus provided the opportunity for: those interested who happen to work for certain leading manufacturing companies; those who are farm owners; farmers or agriculturists; investors; distributors; agents/brokers; decision makers; as well as senior executives from certain major companies of all types in agricultural industry both in Thailand and overseas. The number of applicants of which amounted to more than 500 persons and/or companies; in the end, the organizers have narrowed down the list to merely 200 persons and/or companies, which include such leading companies as An Giang Fruit-Vegetables & Foodstuff JSC (Antesco), Cargill Indonesia, Caudatfarm, Charoen Pokphand Produce Co., Ltd., Dalat Hasfarm Ltd., Dole Philippines Incorporated, Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk Bogasari Flour Mills and Japan Agricultural Cooperative Association.The feedback obtained from this project has helped generate more than 830 occasions of business negotiation in process whilst representing another project which noticeably brings forth the inception of commercial transactions of ‘technology’ between countries during the event.

Mr. Nino Gruettke, Managing Director of VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific Co., Ltd., has made his statement about the next events of both Horti ASIA and AGRITECHNICA Asia, revealing that “This year signifies another one in which we have become very successful beyond expectation in terms of the organizing of events, visitors, buyers and exhibitors, as well as an effort to indubitably reflect upon Thailand’s image of a center of technology and innovation of agricultural industry in Asia. Such success that we have experienced would have not been made possible had there been none of support from our major alliance i.e. DLG International GmbH (German Agricultural Society), which has been diligent at work, in cooperation with us, to help build Asia’s inception of ‘AGRITECHNICA Asia’ for the first time this year and to help develop Horti ASIA so that the latter become more international. In addition, we are well aware of cooperation from all sectors, be it the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Economic Affairs (of the Netherlands), the Horticultural Science Society of Thailand, the Embassy of the German Federal Republic, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Conservation and Development of Coconut Oil of Thailand Forum, the German Agricultural Society, as well as Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), all of which have been providing good support throughout. Furthermore, the 6th Horti ASIA and the 2nd AGRITECHNICA Asia will return again between August 22 and August 24, 2018 at Halls 98 and 99, BITEC, Bangkok. For the entrepreneurs who are interested in making reservation at special prices, please visit www.agritechnica-asia.com, www.horti-asia.com  at or call Tel. 02-670-0900 for more information.

For Project Department, please contact Mr. Chinakit Viphavakit
02-670-0900 ext. 105 / chinakit.vip@vnuexhibitionsap.com

For Public Relations Department, please contact Mrs.Saengtip Techapatiparndee
02-670-0900 ext. 122 / saengtip.won@vnuexhibitionsap.com.