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Edgar Vhera – Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE recently held Macfrut fruit and vegetable 2024 expo in Italy put the country on the world map with international buyers showing their immense interest in blueberry and macadamia among other horticultural products from Zimbabwe.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) coordinated Zimbabwe’s participation at the 41st edition of Macfrut Expo 2024 in Rimini, Italy from May 08 to 10.
“The Zimbabwe pavilion attracted a lot of visitors who were enquiring about our macadamia nuts, passion fruit, fine beans, citrus and blueberries. AMA was also interested in establishing international market requirements, exploring opportunities for companies that did not participate to appreciate the products on demand on global markets,” AMA chief executive officer, Mr Clever Isaya said.
He added that the expo was a unique event on the international scene, which combined business, knowledge and networking through business-to-business platforms saying the country also used the expo to explore collaborations and partnerships with fellow producers on the African continent.
The event attracted over 1 400 exhibitors and 1 500 top buyers from across the globe.
Among Zimbabwean companies that exhibited are Aura Group, Procitru Investments and Kuminda Private Limited. This was the first exhibition to be coordinated by the AMA, as it seeks to enhance access to regional and international markets for the local farmers.
“Several individual farmers also participated at the expo to gain an appreciation of the international market and latest technologies for both primary production and value addition,” he added.
Horticulture is an important sub-sector in the agricultural sector that used to contribute significantly to agriculture gross domestic product (GDP) and foreign currency generation. The Government crafted Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan (HRGP) which is being operationalised with the main thrust of repositioning the horticulture sub-sector to regain its former glory and surpass previous export volumes.
Mr Isaya said AMA also organised some business-to-business (B2B) meetings for the exhibitors with the key one being with the regional director for the Italian Agency for Development Co-operation (AICS), Dr Sertoli.
“The meeting outlined opportunities for credit facilities at concessionary interest rates and grants for Zimbabwean companies in the agricultural space. The other meeting chaired by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos was with an Italian company that wants to establish a steel plant in Zimbabwe for the manufacture of various stainless-steel products that include grain silos and water reservoirs,” he added.
In a recent X (formerly twitter) post Dep Min Haritatos concurred saying: “Massive opportunities in the horticulture sector. The world is hungry for our produce and through the HRGP we foresee a massive update. No doubt the Hub and Spoke will take centre stage, then to top it off, possible exponential growth in poultry exports.”
Italian companies are renowned for producing the best equipment across many sectors and the agricultural sector can also benefit from using these technologies to increase trade between the two nations.
Zimbabwe ambassador to Italy, Mrs Mietani Chauke commended the Government for coming up with a good display but called for more companies to participate in future editions of the expo to promote the Zimbabwean brand.
Macfrut is the benchmark event for Italian and foreign fruit and vegetable sector professionals. It is a vertical trade fair representing the entire supply chain: production, pre-harvest and post-harvest technologies, packaging, and services. A business event to meet with customers and suppliers from the entire fruit and vegetable supply chain and to gain insight into the industry through specialised events and networking opportunities.
The Macfrut Expo was under 10 categories of spices and herbs, greenhouses and irrigation, agricultural machinery, packaging, machinery and plants, production and trade, business and knowledge, logistics and services, biosolutions, nursery and seed.
Online Reporter