"In just three editions, Macfrut could become the leading European fresh produce fair, it would just take the entire chain to work with this objective in mind," reported Roberto Luongo, general manager of Ice-Agenzia, during the presentation of Macfrut 2022 (Rimini, May 4th-6th).
"I accept Luongo's challenge, also because we have talked about it multiple times. Being more important does not mean becoming huge, but becoming a fundamental reference for companies. It's the entire chain that places a fair at the top," stressed Renzo Piraccini.
The presentation took place at the Mancini cherry orchard in Vignola (Modena) and was hosted by Consorzio della Ciliegia tipica di Vignola IGP.
"We have already filled all the exhibition spaces available, with 800 exhibitors who will be present or represented at the fair. 25% of them are foreign. I have to thank the Cesena Fiera team for this: it may seem as if 'I do it all', but it is actually our team that organizes everything."
There are 500 buyers subscribed to the online platform and exhibitors can already arrange B2B meetings.
Luongo then stressed the journey to the top: "an increasingly stronger teamwork. At ICE, we involved all our 80 foreign offices to make the fair more and more international. No country in the world works with the entire fresh produce chain - research, post-harvesting and logistics - like Italy."
The speakers
Piraccini echoed him stressing that "ours is the fair of diversity. The dynamic areas, research content and conventions make us different. This year, we also have two great events: the International cherry symposium and the Salon of aromatic and medicinal herbs with 50 exhibitors, 25 of which are foreign. Not to mention the focus on avocadoes on Friday as part of the Tropical Fruit Congress."
Italian minister Stefano Patuanelli will inaugurate the fair, but the Ministries of Agriculture of Congo, Tanzania and Ethiopia will attend too.
Exhibitors will come from Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bosnia, Turkey, Greece, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Cuba and Venezuela.
The African continent deserves a special mention, which has always been represented at Macfrut. This year, Angola, the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, Mali, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe will attend, plus there will be the Africa Days - a focus on Italian cooperation with the presentation of AICS projects in Africa and events involving the single African countries.