The German Chancellor of the Federal republic Angela Merkel and Dutch State Secretary Sharon Dijksma of Economic Affairs will together on 18 January 2013 open the Grüne Woche in the Dutch pavilion.
State Secretary Dijksma will visit the International Grüne Woche in Berlin from 17 to 19 January 2013 inclusive in the company of a number of parliamentarians. The delegation consists of the following members:
Mark Verheijen (VVD, leader of the delegation), Helma Lodders (VVD), Bart de Liefde (VVD), Sjoera Dikkers (PvdA), Dion Graus (PVV), Jaco Geurts (CDA), Gerard Schouw (D66) and Esther Ouwehand (PvdD).
Partner Land
Partner Land
The Grüne Woche is with about 450,000 visitors the biggest international fair for agriculture, horticulture and food worldwide. In addition the fair is also an important meeting place for politics, science and business. In the Dutch pavilion all important product groups of the agrarian and foodstuff sector are available, from fish, dairy and meat to flowers and drinks.
The Netherlands have been represented at this agricultural fair since 1953 and with that is the oldest participant. In this jubilee year the Netherlands is the partner land with the motto: 'Qualität wächst in Holland' ('Quality grows in the Netherlands')
Trade relationship Netherlands-Germany
Germany is for the Dutch agrarian sector by far the most important trading partner. With about 25% it is the largest selling market for Dutch agrarian products. In 2011 the total value of agrarian export to Germany amounted to more than 18 billion Euro. To remain in this strong position on the German market is of course of the utmost importance for the Dutch agrarian sector.
State Secretary Dijksma will, in the Dutch pavilion, meet the Chancellor of the Federal Republic Merkel on Friday 18 January at 9 o'clock together with the minister of agriculture Aigner. Also the president of the German Bauernverband Rukwied and the mayor of Berlin Wowereit. After that she will make an extended tour of the fair. Furthermore there are various bilateral discussions with international counterparts.
On Friday afternoon Dijksma will open the Dutch run workshop at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). The forum offers a number of workshops about the theme agriculture and food security, innovation and resource efficiency.
The ministry of Economic Affairs will report about the visit to the Grüne Woche
with the assistance of news videos. One is free to use the videos, which will also be published in the You-tube channel of the ministry of Economic Affairs.