Organised by IFEMA and FEPEX, the trade fair will take place from 18 to 20 October.

Organised by IFEMA and FEPEX, the trade fair will take place from 18 to 20 October.

FRUIT ATTRACTION is planning a 2017 edition packed with new features and more than 1,500 companies

Madrid, January 2017. Fruit Attraction 2017, organised by IFEMA and FEPEX, will take place from 18 to 20 October 2017 in Halls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.  More than 1,500 companies from the entire fruit and vegetable sector value chain are expected to take part, representing a 20% increase after the success achieved in 2016.

One factor that has made this one of the sector's main international events is the fact that it takes place in October, a key moment when fruit and vegetable suppliers and buyers sign agreements.

Southern Europe is becoming firmly established as an important, expanding hub for the global fruit and vegetable trade, and a gateway to Europe from Latin America. This gives Fruit Attraction strategic importance as a major platform and international meeting point for fresh produce operators.

The organisers of this trade show have worked hard to put a strategic roadmap in place that will allow them to continue offering international markets a highly efficient marketing tool in years to come, which is why the 2017 edition will be packed with new features.

The next edition of Fruit Attraction will provide more resources by inviting the largest possible number of buyers, importers and traders from countries that have been performing well in recent years in terms of their fresh produce imports from the European Union. This year, for the first time, it is organising the GUEST BUYER MARKET initiative, featuring Brazil and China, and will carry out activities to encourage growth and development of trade relations among the main agents in these markets, attracting leading buyers, operators, importers and retailers from both nations.

THE NUTS HUB: a new area devoted to nuts, a strategic sector given the value of Spanish production and its high quality in comparison to other producer countries.

LANZADERA PROGRAMME  

As part of Fruit Attraction's mission to contribute to the sector, it has created the LANZADERA programme, a new “ready2exhibit” exhibition space, consisting of six-square metre-exhibition spaces at a very competitive price. The idea is to draw attention to new sector companies that have been created within the last two years, with a view to encouraging entrepreneurship, new fruit and vegetable companies and young entrepreneurs. This section that includes a 12,000-euro prize for the best project at the exhibition.

FRESH´N´STAR: This new programme encompasses the entire directory of participating companies, seminars and a product exhibition featuring the two stars of the show, which will be lettuces and pomegranates.

SMART AGRO: spacious new exhibition area designed to drive digital transformation and technological innovation in all the links in the agro-food chain; production, transformation, distribution and marketing, as well as R&D+i activities in the fruit and vegetable sector, to achieve more efficient production, with higher levels of quality and control and lower environmental impact. A space brimming with innovation and knowledge with talks and some very practical workshops.

In the same way, as in earlier editions, Fruit Attraction is boosting the ORGANIC HUB area for organic fruit and vegetables, demand for which is growing in the international market.

As well as these, the Trade Fair will have its traditional areas –Pasarela Innova and Foro Innova- for presenting the latest new products, varieties and brands that exhibitor companies are offering to the fruit and vegetable market for the first time. The sector's great festival will once again feature Fruit Fusion, the gastronomy area of Fruit Attraction, with attractive demonstrations and showcookings.

Once again, 200 technical seminars and activities will make these three days a knowledge centre for the sector, with an extensive programme covering a wide range of topics and high level participants and speakers. One of these is the 6th International Postharvest Unlimited Conference, which will take place as part of Fruit Attraction from 17 to 20 October (http://www.postharvest-unlimited2017.org/).

All in all, as well as being an essential tool for positioning products in the international produce market, the International Trade Show for the Fruit and Vegetable Industry is a place for innovation and for presenting varieties and references to the world.