AGRA, the largest celebration of Slovenian agriculture and food production and the most visited fair event in Slovenia, will not be held in August this year, according to its 58-year tradition.
At Pomurski sejem, we analyzed all possible scenarios and alternatives for the implementation of this year’s Agra. Regarding the opportunities and risk of organizing such a mass event, we came to the conclusion that the AGRA 2020 fair could not be successfully implemented.
After the successful AGRA 2019 fair, which featured over 1,850 exhibitors from 32 countries on an area of over 71,800 m2 exhibition space and visited by more than 118,000 visitors in the six days of the fair, the outlook and interest in Agra 2020 were more than encouraging. All professional exhibitions and accompanying events had already been arranged, which additionally inspired us and confirmed the success of our endeavours.
We wanted to offer the economy, professionals, the general public, exhibitors and visitors a fair that would reflect the integrity of agriculture and food. Unfortunately, this cannot be fully guaranteed in the current situation due to the Sars CoV-2 virus … We do not wish to endanger the health of the participants and we cannot guarantee that your preparations for the fair would not be in vain. Pomurski sejem is not a company that easily succumbs to fear. We do not lack the business courage to develop a noble tradition and open new fair and professional chapters. But this does not mean that we are not careful … We care about our exhibitors, visitors and staff who ensure the success of fair meetings in Gornja Radgona. We wish them safety, good health, business and professional success.
Nevertheless, the AGRA fair is still very much alive this year!
This is evidenced by the excellent participation and results of the international quality assessments of meat, dairy products, soft drinks and packaging. They are followed by assessments of wines, honey drinks and honey.
At Pomurski sejem, we are intensively preparing new contents so that the AGRA 2021 fair will once again be the most successful event of the agricultural and food processing industry in Slovenia and in this part of Europe.
The quality of the AGRA fair connects us. We are already looking forward to the moment when we will be able to reaffirm this connection with a genuine handshake at AGRA 2021!
“This year’s 57th Agra, which is as old as the average age of the Slovenian farmer, more than ever before justified its reputation as the most recognizable event of this kind in Slovenia and the wider European region. With its slogan “A New Generation Fair!” it drew attention to the key dilemmas of Slovenian agriculture and rural areas, outlining the directions of European agricultural policy development and trends that employ global environmental policy and concern for sustainable development. The 1,850 exhibitors from 32 countries, 400 companies in international assessments, over 150 events and close to 120,000 visitors is just a scant balance of the fair, which is more than just an agriculture and food fair.
The fair, on the crossroads of four countries, is increasingly Slovenian, but also increasingly international. More and more Slovenian, because practically all institutions related to agriculture, rural areas, as well as politics, headed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and its Minister Dr. Aleksandra Pivec, and last but not least, Prime Minister Marjan Sarec, who opened the event this year. More and more internationally, as from year to year there are more national presentations, as well as the fact that this year the partner country was Austrian Styria, which has proven that this fair is increasingly also their fair. The international importance of the fair is also borne out by the fact that this year Agra was also visited by the European Agriculture Commissioner, Phil Hogan, who also stated that it was the most important such fair in this European region.
Agra 2019 is a good forecast for Agra 2020 in the search for new digital approaches. As a representative of the organizer, I would now like to invite you to Agra 2020, which will offer all the content that we have set out this year, and above all the continuation of digitalization projects. ”
Janez Erjavec, President of the Pomurski sejem Management Board
