Agritechnica 2011 Sees Record Participation

The world's leading forum for the future of the agricultural industry, Agritechnica 2011, started with record participation by exhibitors. Up to and including Saturday, 19 November 2011, the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover was the meeting place for the global agricultural sector. Altogether 2,748 companies from 48 countries, comprising 2,698 direct exhibitors and 50 additionally represented companies, are presenting a complete programme of agricultural machinery and equipment. The number of exhibitors has grown by 17% compared with the last event in 2009. At the same time the floor space occupied by the exhibition has grown by 17% too. With these outstanding attendance results, Agritechnica impressively bolsters its leading position as largest international exhibition for agricultural machinery and equipment. The stand bookings reflect the upswing and increasingly global interlinkage of the entire agricultural industry, as well as the distinct rise in the economic significance of agriculture. Agriculture and agricultural machinery represent the future and assume the key role in feeding the growing world population.

Outstanding international participation

The international participation in the exhibition has grown outstandingly by almost a quarter compared with 2009. The largest contingents of the altogether 1,372 foreign companies come from Italy (322 companies), the Netherlands (112) France (92), China (82), Austria (76), Turkey (72), Denmark (59), the USA (54), Canada (49), the United Kingdom (44), Poland (41), Spain (39), India (36) and Finland (34). It is conspicuous that numbers from nearly all countries have increased. DLG rates this as a clear indication that international manufacturers are increasingly using Agritechnica as the gateway to global markets. At the same time, DLG sees this as confirmation of its marketing campaign, with Agritechnica run-up events held in many countries and further expansion of the travel service, this being reflected for instance in 14 official country pavilions.

Agriculture a key industry in the 21st century

Agriculture is "in" throughout the world. It is one of the key industries of the 21^st century. Within just a short space of time there has been a paradigm shift. World demand for agricultural commodities is increasing steadily. This development has led to new self-confidence throughout the agricultural sector. ‘Farming is future’ – this slogan expresses the currently ongoing upswing. And agriculture is perceived as one of the essential sectors of the macro-economy. It is acceptable in society and possesses the competence for solving fundamental questions relating to the future, namely sufficient quantities of high quality foods and safe, low-cost energy for electricity, heat and mobility.

Mood among European farmers certainly positive

The new self-confidence of farmers is based on the distinctly improved economic situation and is reflected in the positive mood that can be felt today. This is also revealed by the results and trends pointed up by the Trendmonitor Europe survey that DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) conducted in autumn 2011 together with Europe's leading agricultural market research institute Kleffmann (Lüdinghausen, Westphalia). According to the results of the survey, farmers in Germany, France and the United Kingdom consider their current business situation to be stable at a high level. Looking at the trend over several years, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary also display a positive assessment of the present business situation. These countries have evidently "arrived in Europe" and are orienting large parts of their production to global frameworks. As the results for Germany, France and the United Kingdom also show, expectations of future business development remain at a high level despite economic uncertainties. And the farmers and investors in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are expecting positive business developments for their enterprises in future. This shows the optimism that characterizes businesses in the agricultural sector.