17,000 visitors attend Saudi Agriculture Exhibition

More than 17,000 visitors attended the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition which was held last week at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The exhibition was held under the patronage of Engineer Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture. It was organised by The Riyadh Exhibition Company (REC).

Saudi Agriculture 2019 was concurrently held with Saudi Aquaculture, Saudi Food Pack and Saudi Organic food.

During the 3rd International Saudi Aquaculture Exhibition, the Saudi Aquaculture Society signed an agreement with the Association of the Restaurants and Cafes "Qoot". The agreement aims at increasing seafood consumption in the kingdom, said a statement from the company.

On the other hand, the National Center for Palms & Dates also signed an agreement with the Association of the Restaurants and Cafes "Qoot". The agreement aims to open marketing outlets for "Saudi Dates Mark", which is a registered trademark provided by the National Center for Palms & Dates (NCPD) to align producers with national and international standards.

In order to include Saudi products, which were granted the “Saudi Dates Mark”, in outlets without fees, the National Center for Date Palm and Dates signed a number of agreements with major shops and markets such as Lulu Markets, Sbar, Carrefour and Al Sadhan.

With a diamond sponsorship by Fakieh Poultry Farms, and the partnership of Saudi Organic Farming Association (SOFA), and Saudi Aquaculture Society, The Saudi Agriculture exhibition hosted 9 country pavilions and more than 380 exhibitors representing 34 countries.

Specialised discussion sessions were held during the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition, which witnessed the participation of a number of government leaders and CEOs from local and international companies.

Future Investment in Aquaculture Industry Session addressed government initiatives aimed at encouraging local and international companies to invest in the sector. It also explored the role of the fish and shrimp feed industry, research and innovation in the development of the requirements and applications of the industry, and the evolution of inland fish farming.

Additionally, the session on "Development of Organic Agriculture between Reality and Expectations in the Kingdom and Future Investment Strategies" discussed the proposed investment opportunities for Saudi SMEs. It also outlined the Executive Plan of Action for the Saudi Organic Agriculture Policy and the standards of organic farming procedures in accordance to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

Furthermore, Dr Yousef Al Yousef, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Science at King Faisal University, gave an overview on the development research programs in regard to the poultry industries.

Engineer Adel Jouma, deputy director general of the Strategy Department at the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), and Engineer Mousa Al Qahtani, Strategic Planning Director and the Official Spokesperson of the ADF.

Have reviewed the fund’s strategy for Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Development Goals, through increasing financial and investment opportunities provided to the Private Sector.

Participants in the session “Poultry Sector in the Kingdom: Exploring Reality and Future Growth” discussed the vision to become a major source of high-quality poultry products. The session also explored the current condition of the sector, the 50 per cent growth plans in the upcoming two years, and the nature of the support and investment required to encourage research.

On their part, a number of specialists participated in the session for "bee industry in the Kingdom: the current situation and future aspirations". In the session, they discussed current and future efforts exerted by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to improve the sector.

According to Mohammad Al Al Sheikh, head of Marketing at Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), the exhibition aims to expand the potential and opportunities of the agricultural sector in the kingdom through supporting and developing sustainable and environmentally friendly projects using the latest technologies.

He further added: “The exhibition has also contributed to open new horizons to benefit from the agricultural opportunities in achieving food security and balanced development and to explore the emerging trends and developments the Saudi agricultural sector is witnessing under the ambitious Vision 2030’.”

It is worth noting that Riyadh Exhibitions Company Ltd (REC) enjoys a prolonged and successful experience in the market that was achieved through a comprehensive plan following a systematic approach which includes four main stages: the planning phase, the pre-exhibition phase, the exhibition phase, and the post-exhibition phase.

Choosing the right exhibitions, developing identity and branding, planning the exhibition structure, identifying the target exhibitors and implementing the appropriate marketing plan are all key to the growth of the industry.

After that, the logistics part, designing the floor plan, providing the on-ground support, all the way to registration, crowd management, media support, and concluding the exhibition. Such a detail oriented process enabled the company to have a successful portfolio of events.

This has made the Riyadh Exhibition Company a leader in the MICE sector, organising over 12 international trade shows and exhibitions in Saudi Arabia’s most vital sectors.

Moreover, all leading events are certified by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. UFI approved events are reserved for exhibitions of high quality that meet or exceed internationally recognised standards of organisation, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service