Artificial intelligence in the field, next-generation agricultural machinery, and technological solutions for sustainable agriculture with reduced labor requirements: these are some of the innovations at the heart of the two dynamic areas of Macfrut, the international fruit and vegetable trade fair, scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, to Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Rimini Expo Centre. During the three-day trade fair, the Pre-Harvest area will offer a hands-on experience of the future of fruit and vegetable growing in a double test field spanning 2,500 square meters, divided into two pavilions.

"The technologies presented at Macfrut 2026 aim for increasingly sustainable agriculture: low environmental impact, a reduction in the increasingly difficult-to-find workforce, lower water consumption, and new nursery solutions capable of addressing the challenges posed by climate change," explains Luciano Trentini , an expert agronomist who has coordinated and organized this activity for years together with Marco Pattaro . "Furthermore, new data collection systems will be presented through increasingly effective control systems that can also leverage artificial intelligence, along with innovative machinery and equipment that can also leverage new technologies to assist farmers in their daily decisions. We also anticipate the presence of rovers and drones, which will play a very important role in the future of fruit and vegetable growing."

The focus on horticulture will be concentrated in Hall A1, featuring several crops of particular interest to the national agricultural economy, starting with baby leaves, carrots, and other horticultural species. This area will also showcase innovative soil cultivation systems, new sowing methods and the use of seed drills, and weed control systems using increasingly high-performance hoeing machines with lower environmental impact. Hall C1 will be more heavily focused on fruit growing. This area will feature an apple and cherry orchard and a vineyard, demonstrating how even small spaces can simulate what farmers can achieve on their own farms in much larger spaces.

The presence of anti-hail nets and agrivoltaic panels in the orchard will demonstrate how these new techniques can deliver cost-effective results even in these times of climate change, characterized by increasingly long-lasting temperature rises and increasingly scarce rainfall alternating with short but intense showers. The agrivoltaic systems present at the fair will allow visitors to evaluate and understand the income generated by energy while also understanding the benefits derived from orchard management. Irrigation will also play a key role in this area of Pavilion C1.

"The test fields project requires a significant logistical and organizational effort, with over 1,000 hours of work between assembly and dismantling," Trentini concludes. "Furthermore, during the event, technical tours will be organized for the delegations attending the fair, with machine demonstrations by manufacturers and opportunities for discussion between exhibitors and visitors. These areas represent an ambitious and comprehensive initiative that confirms Macfrut as a benchmark for pre-harvest innovation."