“All what turns around the green has sap for while”
Interview to Miguel Bixquert, director of Iberflora and Vegetal World
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This new release is presented with important news, opening horizons to new themes...
Yes, in this Edition, we launched a new contest based on agricultural technology and we are taking a great surprise to us. Initially, we had planned to offer a canopy of about 12,000 square meters in which some 130 companies participate. The surprise is that four months before your celebration we already do not have space, we are overwhelmed.
This is good news, no doubt...
Since then. The contest does not refer the part of marketing of fruits and vegetables, but the run-up: agronutrients, fertilizers, trials, irrigation companies, machinery... It seems a sector which is a rebujo of the great crisis. They are companies that are exporting a lot. Note that Spain has a great exporter of fruits and vegetables, is a world leader, but we had not stopped to think that if in Spain we sell cars is because there is behind a large former auxiliary industry, in this case, seeds, nurseries, fertilizers, etc.
And it seems to be going strong...
It is the first time that in this House we had a joy of this type. We have spent nearly three years by launching new projects and this has given very good results: fair scheduled for October and in July we had the closed project.
Iberflora hosted a Garden Party. What is the initiative? Objectives do you pursue?
From the message that the garden is the largest House room when the good weather arrives, we intend to transmit - first professional and then to the user - the utilities it has as a meeting point. I don't know if it is by the crisis, because it has changed the way relate or because not you can leave both out, increasingly become more meetings in gardens, barbecues with friends or family. All this is becoming. From the townhouse, small garden to the typical pool. We claim the garden as one room of the House.
They are intended to capture the particular?
We headed to the professional public, individual only on the last day. We give you ideas to the garden so you know that they can sell artificial pools, barbecues, parasols or games for children, i.e. want to give ideas to the point of sale.
It seems that interest in the urban gardens growing. We witness an increase in the gardening sector for particular user?
Yes, no doubt. The increase of the urban garden runs parallel to what we mentioned earlier with regard to the crisis. But also new generations, people young bet for sustainability, you want to take advantage of your weekend in the garden. It is also truth that increasingly are more sophisticated urban orchards understood as support, the typical native drawer passed today to wonders of design of materials with treated wood, phenolic, or the more modern fiberglass, plastic or aluminium colour. But the urban garden is, in addition, seeds, irrigation, substrates...
Perhaps also to coincide with Eurobrico Meeting Point will be an opportunity for the sector of hardware...
Yes, it is an encounter between customers and suppliers. As this year is not celebrated the Eurbrico fair, are held a conference where large-scale distribution - do not forget that DIY is much concentrated in retail - have his encounter with the supplier. Before we used to face format, it is now based on more talks and conferences.
What will be the first edition of the vegetable World?
It's agricultural technology. In Feria Valencia, an analysis of the evolution of the fairs we carry out at the beginning of 2012 and saw that the business of the fair had been old. We saw that the important thing was not the product but the information. People attending the fairs seeking information and solutions. Product information can be accessed through own companies, media or of Internet. People are interested in business management issues, for example, and this fair is born focused information, technology transfer and the field.
How materializes that change of format?
First, stand loses importance against the Congress Party. This is divided into three days. First, integrated pest management, since from January of the year next, any food product that wants to come out on the market must have a traceability and certification of seeds, fertilizers, water, machinery, i.e. a professional firm guaranteeing that the process complies with regulations. Another is the integrated management of pests in urban spaces - if treating a plague in the open field is complex, imagine yourself in a park, with children and pets. Finally, is the most important part which is the new crops and new varieties, based on the change of the agricultural landscape that is occurring.
For example?
It is believed that the area of Valencia is citrus-based, and the truth is that nowadays have burst crops such as khaki or kiwi, or farther south, crops like pomegranate or tropical fruits.
He says that the success of recruitment has been overwhelming. Are they intended to expand the exhibition area?
No, it is a 12,000-square-meter Pavilion and we volcaremos all the efforts in the Congress Party and the international aspect, with Spain as an exporter of agricultural technology. Years ago, when we talked about agricultural technology we referred to countries like Holland and Israel, while today, Spain is up to and even exceeded these countries, with exponents such as Murcia and Almeria.
From how is taken to know the fair abroad?
We develop actions of direct marketing with appearances at trade fairs abroad, agreements with leading universities and associations at the international level, to the extent that the budget allows it. In addition, we invested advertising in twelve foreign professionals and have hired the services of a company specialized in organizing events 'face to face' between Spanish supplier and buyer from 17 countries.
There is a range of pet products at Iberfora?
Little. Truly the canal garden is not a specialist. Last year there were 8 or 9 companies and this year tried to attract more. It is not a specific channel, but if this type of product is incorporated to garden them.
New will be at the fair to previous editions?
Apart from news, there are also projects. In addition to the amplitude of the fair offer us this year have opted for depth, so we are going to develop monographs. For example, what is the tree that more is being exported abroad? The olive tree. As well, we prepare a monograph on this tree, which includes from the part of genetic manipulation to olive trees as their ornamental tree shed.
It is a sector where research importance. Do you have the participation of technology centers?
Yes, first because the visitor and Exhibitor should receive the information. And also because many of the companies involved are SMEs that do not have resources to have an own research department and are precisely these technology centers that meet the Mission of being the vanguard of the companies.
He spoke of success hiring plant World, is how Iberflora?
We are a 12-13% of the goal. I think that we will reach the levels of the previous edition, which saw a small growth. The 2011 edition was very hard, the 2012 recovered and the next edition, with vegetable World, will be good. We are creating a very important offer.
And they have adapted to the current situation, for example, by adjusting prices?
Without a doubt. Today, participating in Iberflora is cheaper to making three or four editions, even a 30% cheaper. Offered sizes with different prices and different stands and we have agreements with associations of partners, among other initiatives.
What is expected in terms of number of visitors?
The fact coincide Iberflora and plant World will be very positive. We had a couple of issues trying to incorporate the visitor of Iberflora natural visitors of vegetable that is the local shop. Determined profile of small average town, which has no dimension to have a garden center, was the agricultural supply store that, increasingly, sells more products as substrates or plants. In short, I believe that we will have a good presence.
And now finally, do you think that our companies abroad are competitive?
With total security. We are world leaders. In ornamental plant, logically in Mediterranean product and in the area of the vegetable World. Any country in the world takes as reference Spanish companies. As I mentioned, we were leaders of fresh product, and no one had stopped to think that the industry is very powerful.
It is a sector with a future?
We can not ignore the crisis, but all who turn around the Green, without being the joy of years ago, we have SAP for a while.
