Horti Fair Highlights

A focus on water and energy was the theme of this year’s International Horti Fair, which wrapped up last week in Holland. Although the huge horticultural exhibition was moved up a few weeks earlier than it had been traditionally held, Horti Fair still drew 46,846 horticultural professionals from 108 countries Oct. 9-12.

We suspect attendance was down for U.S. growers and allied industry members because the Euro is so much more expensive than the dollar these days. In conversations we had with industry members over the past couple of weeks, several we expected to attend did not go this year. But they all agree Horti Fair is where the most cutting edge technology in greenhouse floriculture debuts.

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“Horti Fair is the international showcase for the introduction of new products and services and is making an even greater contribution to the exchange of know-how,” says the fair’s director Wim van der Loo. “Good business was done, particularly in the technology, supply and trade/services categories.”

The 11 halls at the Amsterdam RAI spanning 90,000 square meeters were filled with 985 companies from 51 countries. Pavilions divided the fair into four categories: production, technology, supply and trade/services.

Special pavilions include:

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  • House of Genetics, focused on plant breeding and seed technology
  • House of Technology, for technology-based companies and featuring video presentations
  • House of Retail, targeting retail buyers. This is the purchasing and knowledge platform for all professionals involved in the sale of flowers and plants in supermarkets, home improvement stores, garden centers and retail chains.
  • House of Quality, featuring the Horti Fair Growers quality Competition. About 1,500 entries make this the most extensive judging for individual growers worldwide.
  • Horti Fair Growers’ Market, a new pavilion focused on seed cuttings and young plants.
  • New 2007 Gallery, showcasing 400 new products and services.

Rewarding Innovation

A jury narrowed the 400 new products down to a short list of 19 representing the key categories of trade/services, technology, supplies and production.

Koppert Biological Systems won the top prize–the Horti Fair Innovation Award–for Enzicur, a natural fungicide that fights mildew. Koppert will receive a media package worth 10,000 Euro offered by the organizers of International Horti Fair and Reed Business.

Other category winners included:

A fully automated chrysanthemum growing process from cutting to harvested crop from Logiqs Agro BV

Anthurium ‘Black Queen’ from Rijnplant

BIN International’s Flower Bag Vase received an honorable mention.

Out of the exhibitors, Priva won the best participant award for making the best use of its show presence. The jury liked Priva’s accessible, attractive presentation and its multimedia approach. The prize is a cup and a media package worth 1,000 Euros.

Next year, Horti Fair will be held October 14-17 at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition Centre. For more information, visit www.hortifair.nl

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