Africa is a continent not to be underestimated when it comes to fruit and vegetables. It is so vast and diverse that it needs both the know-how and the technology to produce on its own, while at the same time importing fruit from Italy and Europe. Renzo Piraccini, President of Macfrut, who is in the Democratic Republic of Congo these days, reiterated these themes several times.
"We announced the next edition of Macfrut, to be held at the Rimini Expo Center from May 8 to 10, 2024," said Piraccini, "to a large group of professionals in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The event was also attended by the Minister of Agriculture, José Mpanda, who was in the country for the last edition of Macfrut, in the company of some operators in the sector". The event in Kinshasa also saw the presence of the Italian Ambassador Alberto Petrangeli, the contact person for the ICE Agency, along with a large number of local authorities.
"A large number of Congolese companies are expected to participate in the 2024 edition of Macfrut as part of a national pavilion supported by local authorities and a number of international organizations," according to a release from the exhibition center. There is an absolute and urgent need for Congo to increase its fruit and vegetable production and the creation of a cold chain, which is sorely lacking today, to the extent that more than a third of domestic production is lost before it reaches the markets. The prices of fruit and vegetables are higher than in Europe because a large part of the production is imported, mainly from South Africa, but also from Egypt and China. The Democratic Republic of Congo has a population of 92 million and covers an area of 2.3 million square kilometers. It is about eight times the size of Italy.
During the presentation of Macfrut by President Piraccini, the special exhibition dedicated to spices and the agri-voltaic fair were of great interest, considering the fact that only 6% of the Congolese population has access to electricity, which is central to the issue of energy production. During the mission, Gianluca Bagnara, President of Assoavi, presented the Poultry Forum. This will be held in conjunction with the next edition of Macfrut.