The 29th Agrotica International Fair for Agricultural Machinery, Equipment & Supplies was the focus of the agricultural world of Greece and the broader Balkan region. It welcomed 113,850 visitors from 20 to 23 October at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.
Centred around the mechanisation of agriculture, innovation, and high technology in agricultural production, this year’s Agrotica, following the pandemic, once again laid out the main priorities of the primary sector on an international level.
At the same time, the event created a number of benefits for Thessaloniki, its enterprises, and the local economy, by hosting thousands of exhibitors and many tens of thousands of visitors.
Agrotica attracted 1650 exhibitors from 49 countries, and welcomed both individual hosted buyers and business delegations from 15 countries. More specifically, this year’s event was visited by individual hosted buyers from 12 countries (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates), groups from Albania, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria, and two business delegations fro Iraqi Kurdistan; specifically, one business delegation from the region of Sulaymaniyah and another from Erbil, coordinated by the local Chamber of Commerce.
There was also a rich programme of side events with specialised conferences and colloquiums outlining the latest developments in agricultural production.
The 9th AGROTICA Panhellenic Conference was of critical importance among side events. It featured scientists, entrepreneurs, technocrats, academics, agronomists, and others, who highlighted all the critical issues facing agriculture. The 9th Panhellenic Conference on ‘New technologies as a driver for sustainable growth in Agriculture’ was held on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October at the ‘N. Germanos’ Congress Centre, while it that have co-organised by the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Environment of AUTH. Other events held in the context of the event included ‘Producers-Agrotechnology-Bioeconomy in digital transformation’, which was co-organised by TIF-Helexpo and the Institute of Bio-Economy and Agro-Technology (iBo)/CERTH, as well as the colloquium organised by TIF-Helexpo and Alegre Growshop on pharmaceutical cannabis.
The 29th Agrotica was organised with the support of the Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery (EKAGEM), the Machinery Importers’ - Representatives’ Association (SEAM), and the Association of Fertiliser Producers and Traders (SPEL), while it was placed under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia Thrace).