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The 10th 'Zootechnia' International Fair for Livestock and Poultry,the only event in Greece and the Balkans specialising in animalproduction, will begin on 2 February with a record number ofparticipants and will last until 5 February.
There will be 939 exhibitors at this year's Zootechnia, as compared to 849 in 2015. Direct international exhibitors will come from Austria, Bulgaria,Cyprus, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia,Spain and Turkey, while international exhibitors (both direct andindirect) will represent 37 countries.
Greek exhibitors will comefrom all over the country, while the Fair will cover a total of 14,350sq.m. of indoor and outdoor space, as compared to 12,938 sq.m.in 2015. All major domestic livestock-poultry enterprises will bepresent at 'Zootechnia' to present the latest developments in thesector, from major productive animal breeds to machinery,services and research. The Fair will be visited by hosted buyersfrom 10 countries (Albania, FYROM, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Germany, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria and Cyprus) as well as 300 visitors as part of group delegations from Albania, FYROM and Bulgaria.
This year's Fair will feature an expanded Pet Festival, whichincludes the 'International Dog Festival', a large salon entitled 'All About Cats' and the 'Groom Expo' section, dedicating to groomingand caring for pets. A major pole of attraction is the 6th HorseShow, featuring over 50 Greek and other breeds.During today's Press Conference, the President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, asked farmers to support Zootechnia which,along with Agrotica, is a celebration for the agricultural sector, andunderlined the importance of Zootechnia and the emphasis placedby the national exhibition agency on the agri-nutritional sector.
According to the Deputy Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Ms MariaKollia-Tsaroucha, the future of Greek livestock farming is brightthanks to Fairs like Zootechnia and the contribution of Greek scientists, adding that the primary sector is a priority for thegovernment.In turn, the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, characterised the 10th Zootechnia as the largest ever, noting that itis one of the five Fairs focusing on the primary sector organised bythe national exhibition agency.
The President of the Association of Manufacturers of AgriculturalMachinery of Greece (EKAGEM), Mr Andreas Koutsokostas, noted that Zootechnia is the only fully specialised exhibition in the sectorand a first-class opportunity for Greek livestock farmers to comeinto contact with EKAGEM members. EKAGEM is participating inthis year's Zootechnia with 18 member-enterprises, covering 1,400sq.m. "Greek manufacturers comprehend the needs of Greek livestock farming and are ready to rise to the challenge", he noted.In turn, the Vice-President of the Machinery Importers' -Representatives' Association (SEAM), Mr Ioannis Higas, stressedthe dynamic participation of SEAM in Zootechnia, with modernmachinery that, in his words, will lead to the mechanisation oflivestock farming.
The Deputy General Director of the company, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis,assured the audience of the readiness of TIF-Helexpo services forthe organisation of Zootechnia and foresaw that, at its end, it willbe remembered as an even more successful Fair.The Project Manager of 10th Zootechnia, Mr Vassilis Spyrou,characterised the Fair as a comprehensive event where visitors can encounter everything related to the sectors of livestock andpoultry, underlining the great interest by international exhibitorsand visitors in this year's event.
The exhibition is supported by the Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery of Greece, the Hellenic Feed Industry Association and the Machinery Importers' - Representatives'Association.Side events Zootechnia includes a rich programme of side events, which issummarised as follows:- 'Research and innovation in mechanical milking and applicationof new technologies in livestock production', jointly organised byTIF-Helepxo and the Laboratory of Animal Husbandry of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Aristotle University ofThessaloniki.- 'Livestock farming as a driving force for the national economy',jointly organised by TIF-Helexpo and the Hellenic Society of Animal Production.- 'Reducing the environmental footprint of livestock holdings',jointly organised by TIF-Helexpo and the Centre for Research &Technology, Hellas - Institute for Research and Technology,Thessaly.- 'Meat and Meat Products' (Pan-Hellenic Congress), jointlyorganised by TIF-Helexpo and 'Meat News' and held under theauspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, theRegion of Central Macedonia, the Hellenic Veterinary MedicalSociety, the Hellenic Veterinary Association, the Food TechnologyDepartment of TEI Athens and the National Inter-ProfessionalOrganisation of Meat.- The 6th Pan-Hellenic Animal Production Technology Conference.- A colloquium titled 'New Threats for Greek Livestock Farming',being held by the Hellenic Veterinary Association.The working hours of 'Zootechnia' will be from 10:00 to 19:00 onweekdays and Sunday, 5 February, and from 10:00 to 20:00 onSaturday, 4 February. Free parking on AUTH premises will beavailable from Friday until the end of the Fair.