(16 January 2017) MacFruit, the international fruit fair organised by Cesena Fiera will take place at the Rimini Fiera from 10 to 12 May with China and Basilicata as partners. China is a strategic market for Italian fruit and vegetable produce (Italy is Europe’s prime producer of kiwis with 500,000 tonnes). Basilicata is Italy’s leading strawberry-growing region (with approximately 1000 hectares) which will characterise communication and a series of institutional activities and events connected to producers from Basilicata. The fair was presented in recent days in Beijing at the the Italian Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Spazio Italia’ in China. This opening event was organised by MacFrut and Cesena Fiera in collaboration with ICE Agency, Cso (Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli), the Italian Embassy in China and the Chinese Ministry for Agriculture. Government officials and members of the Ministry for Agriculture, the Chinese and Italian press, more than 45 buyers and importers of fruits and vegetables, leading associations and opinions in the sector- were also present at the opening presentation. During the event, the potential of the international market beyond its organisation in the 2017 edition of MacFrut was discussed. The 2016 edition saw more than 38,000 visitors 24% of which came from foreign fruit and veg markets. Speakers of the conference include the councillor for Agricultural Politics of Basilicata, Lua Braia; the Italian Ambassador to China, Ettore Francesco Sequi; and the director of ICE in Beijing, Amedeo Scarpa. (Red)
