Press Communiqué No. 4/2013
Agrilevante Ready to Go: Technical Novelty, Meetings, and Events
Bari’s fair devoted to machines, technology and ideas for Mediterranean agriculture offers 50,0002 meters for 280 exhibitors, with this year’s addition of three special sections on renewables from farms, multifunctional approaches in farming and spare time farming.
Only a few days are left before the 2013 edition of Agrilevante, Bari’s fair of agricultural machinery and equipment, gets under way. The event is on at Bari’s Levant Fair, which organised it with FederUnacoma, from October 17-20.
There are over 280 exhibitors showing their products over 50,0002 meters with a number from abroad, especially Europe. There is also an open-air demo area.
The inauguration is at 9:30 a.m. on October 17, at the main entrance to the New Hall, and half an hour later, there is a press conference at the Sala Regione Puglia in Hall 20 involving FederUnacoma, the Levant Fair and Puglia’s regional government, when the main events and the latest data on the agricultural machine market will be covered.
The latter has been in a critical state for a couple of years, although it has been able to maintain the most brilliant export record of any Italian industrial sector. The press conference will discuss the latest Nomisma report commissioned by FederUnacoma to examine why the record is otherwise one of marking time. The results will be debated more fully at 4:30 p.m. on the same day.
Technological innovation is one of the more important aspects of the fair, because of its contribution to improving farm activity in terms of yield and product quality, operator safety and sustainability. The competition for the best technical innovation is designed to encourage innovation among the exhibiting companies. Ten awards are available at this third edition of the contest, for Novelties and seven Special Mentions. They will be on show at the area set aside in Hall 20 for MiA, the salon on multifunctional farming.
The salon is devoted to equipment and ideas for a sector that now accounts for 20% of farm turnover, and has done so for the last decade. This year the stress is on flower growing, and possible complementary agricultural activities, also linked to defence of the environment and social programmes.
Also in Hall 20, the Agriforenergy salon illustrates technology and solutions for producing renewable energy from agricultural and forestry products. This is organised by FederUnacoma with AIEL, the Italian Agro-Forestry Energy Association. There will also be a series of workshops on bio-energy issues throughout the fair.
Another is the Country Life salon, again in Hall 20, organised by FederUnacoma with L’Informatore Agrario. This covers spare-time farming for orchards, olive groves, vegetables and farm animals. There will be workshops and demos on growing or raising and pruning. The Verona-based publication is also promoting meetings on young farmers and conservationist farming.
At Hall 19, Stand 27, another published, the Gruppo 24 Ore Media, is presenting “Let’s Sustain Sustainability”, a series of daily sessions on the technical means and systems for making production more sustainable.
As always, ENAMA, Italy’s agricultural mechanisation board, has an information stand and a series of initiatives including Mech@griJOBS, organised with UNACMA, the used farm machinery dealers’ association, on new professions in farm machinery: experts for mechatronics, agro-energy and the like. ENAMA is also promoting meetings on highway use, biomass (including a guided tour to biomass plant in the area) and irrigation.
The last is organised with Bari University, which is also on hand at Agrilevante on issues such as grape vines originating in Puglia, the Magis project on table grapes and research under say in vine cultivation and wine making.
Puglia’s regional government, a major partner in Agrilevante, has its own space in Hall 20 for the various initiatives it has set up with other bodies and institutions. On the morning of October 19, this is where the regional government will present a book, “Vegetable Gardens of Puglia”, an event preceded by primary school children sowing rare plants as part of their school activity.
To encourage attendance by normal visitors alongside the professionals, entrance to Agrilevante will be free provided you register at the fair area’s entry points. Registration is also possible on line on the Agrilevante site, which will provide a personal access card valid for the whole duration of the event.
Rome, October 11, 2013