Global supply chain at Cesena Fiera on 16-18 October 2018

The cooperation between Christian Befve and Cesena Fiera has resulted in the launch of the International Asparagus Days. It is a new international event dedicated to the asparagus supply chain to be held from 16 to 18 October 2018 in the renovated exhibition spaces of Cesena Fiera.

The three-day trade fair will involve four initiatives. First of all, an exhibition with exhibitors coming from all over the world to be hosted in Cesena Fiera’s pavilions. In addition, it will include a full programme of conferences on agronomic, commercial, strategic and technical aspects, to be held in three conference rooms, focusing especially on aspects concerning low environmental impact techniques, such as antagonistic micro-organisms for traditional and organic crops, and varieties. There will also be a series of live field demonstrations, which will take place in an area adjacent to Cesena Fiera. Last but not least, technical tours with visits to major asparagus producers in the Emilia-Romagna region.

This initiative stems from the partnership between Cesena Fiera, the organiser of Macfrut, and Christian Befve, one of the world’s leading experts on asparagus. As an agronomy and sales consultant to many companies in 30 different countries, Befve has three decades of experience in growing this vegetable, so much so that he is internationally recognised as an expert in this field. Luciano Trentini, who is also an asparagus and fruit and vegetable specialist, facilitated the partnership between Cesena Fiera and Befve.

The predominant feature of the International Asparagus Days is that it is a highly specialised global trade fair that takes over an event promoted by Befve five years ago in Bordeaux. Today, this kind of event is much needed, since there is a lack of opportunities for discussion on this topic, but also because this crop is attracting great interest worldwide.
At present, 210,000 hectares of asparagus are grown around the world, of which 7,500 hectares are cultivated in Italy. The world’s leading asparagus producing countries are Peru and China. Global demand is increasing, and so are prices. The entire supply chain is interested in increasing quality as well as promoting this product on the market more effectively, given the low consumption rate among Italian families, which is just over 40%.

The International Asparagus Days addresses the entire supply chain. In fact, this event is of particular interest to all stakeholders. Specifically: seed companies, plant nurseries, manufacturers of field processing machines (transplanters, bed formers etc.), including harvesting machines, but also producers of technologies for calibration and warehouse processing, packaging, greenhouses for protected crops and services, as well as distributors and buyers.