30% increase in visitors to Med'Agri

The 4th edition of Med'Agri, the trade show for Mediterranean agriculture organized by the PACA Regional Chamber of Agriculture and held from October 15th to 17th in Avignon, has come a long way since its 1st edition in 2018. This year's event saw a 30% increase in visitors compared to 2022, with 14,900 visitors spread over the 3 days (compared to 11,500 visitors 2 years ago). Fruit and vegetable producers, arboriculturists, winegrowers, livestock farmers, cereal growers, olive growers and producers of aromatic and perfume plants, both conventional and organic, came together for 3 days to discover the latest agritech news, innovations and new practices.

Med'Agri

This year, 380 companies were present on 14,000 m² of exhibitor stands, with 55 workshops and conferences on the program. A new feature this year was Masterclasse, a discovery and tasting workshop.

Visit from French minister of agriculture Annie Genevard and ketchup handshake
On Thursday October 17th, Annie Genevard, the (new) minister for agriculture, food sovereignty and forestry, came to present the Mediterranean Plan, which aims to support farmers in the face of climate change. It was also during this visit that Sylvain Bernard, president of FDSEA in Vaucluse, was keen to get a message across with a highly symbolic handshake. "Madam, your predecessors left behind the blood of farmers," Sylvain Bernard told the minister, referring to the ketchup he had previously smeared on the palm of his hand. "It is an emergency and a hemorrhage, Madam. I am sorry, but we have to act quickly."

@Annie Genevard X

Who are the winners of the Grand Prix de l'Innovation?
On Wednesday October 16th, the winners of the Grand Innovation Prize 2024 were announced. This competition rewards technological innovations that promote more sustainable and efficient agriculture. The awards ceremony was attended by Bénédicte Martin, vice-president of the region, André Bernard, president of the PACA Regional Chamber of Agriculture, and Christian Gély, vice-president of the Vaucluse Regional Chamber of Agriculture. Christian Gély emphasized that "this year's innovation competition was once again packed with a wide range of entries. In fact, the winners' list reflects this diversity in terms of the prize-winning companies," because this year the trends are towards reducing inputs, securing harvests in the face of climatic hazards, saving water resources and enhancing the resilience of ecosystems.

Here are the 6 winners:
1st prize was awarded to M2i Group for its Lobesia Pro Clip® solution (trellising clip)
2nd prize went to Gautier Semences with its Frutastic (range of parthenocarpic zucchinis)
3rd prize went to Cybelium Technologies with its e.Cybèle multifunctional solution.
The 'Coup de cœur de l'Agriculture Méditerranéenne' was awarded to Phénix en Provence
The Jury's Special Prize went to Cérès Flore
and the Special Mention for New Technology went to CRIIAM Sud and its Climat'Eau 13 platform.

Med'Agri will return for a 5th edition in October 2026.