Macfrut, the international fruit and vegetable fair, makes an appointment in the Rimini exhibition center from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 September 2021 in what will be a special edition in terms of format and proposals. On the same days, Fieravicola will be held at the same time (see EFA News article of 5-2-21 ), the international fair of poultry and rabbit activities. On Monday 6 September, a major event exclusively dedicated to business with China will take place: The China Day (see EFA News article of 5-2-21 ). The details of the events were disclosed today February 5 during a specially organized online press conference. The virtual meeting was attended by: Renzo Piraccini president of Macfrut and Fieravicola, Ma Hongtao general manager of Atpc, Fabiana Fiorini vice president of Fieravicola, Stefano Gagliardi president of the technical scientific committee of Fieravicola, Sergey Shabaev president of the Eurasian poultry association and Roberto Luongo director of Ice Agenzia.

In fact, it will not be a simple date shift, previously scheduled for 4-6 May, but a "Special edition" that combines the irreplaceable role of a business fair and human relations in the presence, with the opportunities offered by the digital world to expand its commercial range beyond borders. An innovative format, therefore, which uses the know-how of 37 trade fair editions for professionals in the sector, to which is added the pioneering experience of the web successfully tested in the first edition of Macfrut Digital (see article EFA News of 1 -2-21 ). Specifically, those taking part in Macfrut 2021 will double their presence in addition to the stand at the fair, with a virtual stand also on a digital platform, thus expanding business opportunities in both directions.

At the same time as the commercial part, Macfrut special edition offers a series of focus points on the world of fruit and vegetables. Starting from Sardinia, the partner region, an area in the center of the Mediterranean which is characterized by quality agricultural products such as Sardinian PDO spiny artichoke and Sardinian PDO saffron. A major event will be dedicated to the Biosolutions International Event, dedicated to the biostimulants and biocontrol chains. The event is divided into an international exhibition reserved for companies that produce biostimulants and aimed at agricultural entrepreneurs and technicians in the sector. Alongside the exhibition part, there will be guided tours and the international congress dedicated to the encounter between the Mediterranean production chains and the world of biostimulants.

One of the most novelties of the 2021 edition will be the Italian Retailer Business Lounge, an exclusive area within the fair dedicated to large-scale distribution and Italian distributors, for targeted meetings with exhibitors established through a special matching program in collaboration with Think Fresh by Agroter. Another novelty is the fourth edition of International Asparagus Days for the first time at the same time as Macfrut. It is a focus dedicated to the entire asparagus supply chain with an exhibition part that will host specialized companies and a conference part with technical and commercial updates on the sector. Finally, the B2B Meeting Agenda with the possibility for visitors to manage their time at the fair by planning meetings through the virtual stand provided to all exhibitors who join the initiative: the meetings can be organized on-site for those who participate. physically at the event, or online for those who connect remotely. Exhibitors can also prepare their own agenda in advance by setting up appointments with specially selected international buyers.

Piraccini , declared: “Once again Macfrut is pioneering an innovative project that looks to the future. There is a great desire in the sector to meet in person, to savor that human contact that we have been missing for too long. At the same time, there is the realism of a situation that has completely changed our way of seeing things. Macfrut special edition meets both needs: physical presence and digital opportunity. We were the first to bet on a virtual fair in the fruit and vegetable world last September, we want to be the first to propose an innovative format that combines physical and digital".

Among the questions posed to the organizers of the fairs: "Macfrut and Fieravicola will be held in the same month as Cibus (31-8 / 03-9) (see article EFA News of 2-2-21 ) and Sana Restart (9 / 12- 9), don't you think that this could create 'crowding' in September and less attention for the fruit and vegetable fair and that of poultry and rabbit activities? " Piraccini answers this question, arguing: "With Cibus we would have liked to overlap in reality. It is not an element of interference, quite the opposite. Often buyers arrive and follow both events, so it would only have created greater turnout". "Sana is a different sector dedicated to organic. In last year's physical edition we imagined the spice sector for 2021, but precisely to avoid overlapping with Sana, this idea will be developed at the 2022 fair", concludes Piraccini .