AgroFarm has made a name for itself as the exhibition for professional animal production in Russia

: The photograph showes the speakers of the opening ceremonie (left to right): Zoya Bautina – Deputy Director of the All-Russian Exhibition Centre, Alexander Baburin – Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department for Food Resources of the City of Moscow, Vasily Shapotchkin, Head of the Department for Animal Production and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Ivan Rozhdestvenskij, Head of the Veterinary Department, Leonid Orsik, Head of the Technological Policy Department, Dr. German Jeub – Head of the Department for Fisheries, Expansion and Foreign Trade and Investment Relations, BMELV, Dr. Jochen Koeckler - Managing Director DLG Exhibitions Department, DLG e.V.

With some 7,700 visitors from large farms located throughout Russia, AgroFarm has once again proved itself to be an excellent platform for the professional animal husbandry sector. This second time around saw a 13 % increase in the number of visitors compared to last year’s première. Organised jointly by APK VVC (Moscow) and DLG-Agriservice, the exhibition attracted some 170 exhibitors from 17 countries around the globe who used the 7,500 square metres of exhibition space at the VVC exhibition grounds (All-Russian Exhibition Center) from 24 to 26 April to showcase innovations in breeding, husbandry equipment, feeding technology and management.

The exhibitors and organisers alike were very satisfied with AgroFarm 2008, both in terms of the way it was run and the results it generated. The concept of a combined trade exhibition and technical programme was designed to meet the keen demand for modernisation, information and investment in Russia’s agricultural sector. Featuring some 30 seminars, discussion panels and conferences on practical solutions for current challenges in Russian animal production, AgroFarm aimed to bring together practical experience and knowledge-based expert opinions. Russian and international experts from ministries, professional associations, academia and practical farming all made the most of this opportunity to share their views and experience on best practices for animal husbandry and to discuss the various possibilities for improving feed conversion in cattle, pig and poultry production. Other important themes facing Russian animal production were also dealt with. This included ways of increasing yield in dairy cattle husbandry and methods for adapting breeding strategies. The breed cattle shows at the AgroFarm ring, which presented dairy and beef cattle appropriate to the market in Russia, and the daily hoof-care demonstrations by well-known European experts both turned out to be veritable visitor magnets. Moreover, following the presentations, visitors were able to consult the experts and obtain their professional advice.

At this year’s event, companies presented an incredibly wide range of well-developed animal production approaches and modern genetics, soliciting substantial interest all round amongst visitors, specialists and investors. The most recent innovations in this particular sector will help attract more investors to this challenging and productive market segment – which can count on the complete support of the Russian Federation’s National Development Programme.

The Russian Federation’s Ministry of Agriculture, as the driving force behind agro-industrial development, was actively involved in the organisation of AgroFarm which it regards as the platform for reaching the targets it has set itself in the Russian animal production sector. Germany, supported by the Federal German Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), was represented by 36 companies, making it the largest guest exhibitor. However, amongst the other countries represented on site, England, Italy and France also had companies presenting a wide range of products and techniques for housing and breeds.

A special focus at this year’s AgroFarm was on enhancing the quality of human resources in this sector. Hence the organisers’ concept of a “learning workshop”. The thematically oriented forums and hands-on demonstrations contained a wealth of information for all those involved in animal husbandry.

The conceptual outlook for AgroFarm 2009 will again aim to promote the best solutions for professional animal husbandry and management. The co-organisers, DLG Agriservice and the All-Russian Exhibition Centre, will therefore work to increase the number of exhibitors and to expand the technical programme so as to attract even more professionals, decision-makers and investors. Next year’s AgroFarm is scheduled to be held on 20-22 May, 2009, on the grounds of the All-Russian Exhibition Centre, Moscow, Russian Federation.

Further details can be obtained from DLG Agriservice, Eschborner Landstr. 122, 60489 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Your contacts are Dr. Olga Hunger (Project Manager), tel. +49 (0) 69/24788-271, email: O.Hunger@DLG.org,
and Ruth Cornelia Averbeck (Sales Account Manager), tel. +49 (0) 69/24788-273, email: c.averbeck@DLG.org.