Asparagus and soft fruit farmers meet at expoSE and expoDirekt

On 16 and 17 November 2016, the 21st European Asparagus and Strawberry Fair, expoSE, and the sixth Trade Fair for Agricultural Direct Marketing, expoDirekt, will again attract around 6,000 trade visitors from all over the world. Approximately 400 international exhibitors will be present to provide valuable information regarding new products and services during these two combined trade fairs.

“These two intensive days are important moments to meet others in the trade and a perfect platform for professionals to talk to each other. The interest in the combined trade fairs is increasing every year, particularly among visitors and exhibitors from abroad,” states Simon Schumacher, organizer of the Verband Süddeutscher Spargel- und Erdbeeranbauer (VSSE). 

The fairs will be officially opened at 10:00 on 16 November by the Agriculture state secretary, Friedlinde Gurr-Hirsch, of Baden-Württemberg, together with asparagus and berry officials from all over Germany. Furthermore, the VSSE will present the six most innovative companies with the 2016 Innovation Award. Recent findings in the areas of science, consultancy and practice will be presented to visitors during the Asparagus Day program on the first day, and the Direct Marketers’ Forum on the second day. For the first time professional childcare is provided at the exhibition site so that visitors with young families can bring their children along.

Due to the extreme weather during the last season fruit and vegetable farmers all over Europe had to cope with significant challenges. Simon Schumacher explains the main theme of the trade fair: “The heavy rain, cold weather and heat waves in 2016, probably accelerated the trend towards specialization of production. For many companies continued investments to move harvesting dates forward, crop protection methods, as well as the reduction of personnel costs through technology and digitization, are important adjustable variables."

Particularly in times of large quantities and low prices direct marketing can be an important sales method. The expoDirekt fair offers numerous ideas for direct marketers to gain and retain customers using an attractive additional range of products. About 90 exhibitors will be showcasing tailored solutions for various processes such as product presentation, packaging, storage, cooling, EDP and staffing at this trade fair. 

More than 20% of the expected 400 exhibitors at the two fairs will be from abroad. In Karlsruhe they will meet farmers and horticulturalists from vegetable and fruit producing businesses that are oriented on the future, a large number of international visitors, and the biggest crop producing companies in Europe. About 50 new exhibitors are participating at this year’s edition of the two fairs.