Publications
Participation of a delegation from Vologda Oblast in International Green Week 2008
28.01.2008
Annually some 100,000 trade visitors attend the International Green Week organized by Messe Berlin GmbH in January. This unique exhibition for agriculture, food industry and horticulture provides them with an opportunity to engage in discussions with other professionals. Experts from the worlds of agriculture and food industry state their positions on current issues at meetings and congresses, workshops and press conferences, forums and symposiums, and take part in wide-ranging discussions about problems and prospects in their own particular fields.International Green Week, in its 73rd year, ran from January 18 to 27 in Berlin. With 115,000 square meters of exhibition space, the fair offered visitors an opportunity to try a wide range of fresh produce, fish, meats and dairy products from all over the world. These combined with a vast selection of international wine, beer and spirits specialties. Right in line with consumer trends, the IGW also included direct agricultural sales. More than 1,600 exhibitors and 440,000 visitors from 56 countries attended the event.
Among many conferences held at the ICC Berlin during the fair, the East-West Agricultural Forum was of particular interest to experts and media representatives from all over the world. The focus of the East-West Agricultural Forum was on political and economic cooperation on an international scale in agriculture. This year's theme was "World market of foodstuff: Deficit of raw materials and its impact on food industry". In addition to it, the event also included an International Agricultural Minister conference "Global competition for agricultural raw materials - Impact on the agricultural sector and future business strategies" and an International Forum on Agricultural Policy "Health check of the common agricultural policy: How do we get it for the future?". The organizers of the events were Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Germany), Senate Administration for Health, Environmental Affairs and Consumer Protection Messe Berlin GmbH, German Farmers' Association, RF Ministry of Agriculture and Russian Embassy in Germany.
In 2008 the Russian Federation notched up fifteen continuous years of participation, emphasizing the role of Berlin and its trade fairs as an East-West hub. Twenty eight Russian regions displayed their staple products at the Green Week, the Vologda Oblast among them.
The exposition of the Vologda Oblast occupying 144 sq m was demonstrated in a wooden house that emphasized Russian national characteristics. Produce of food processing and agricultural enterprises from the Vologda Region (a vast selection of wine and spirits specialties, meats, dairy products, confectionery and linen produce) was on display there. Experts from Vologda also participated in meetings and congresses, workshops and press conferences, forums and symposiums, and were involved in wide-ranging discussions about problems and prospects in their own particular fields. It is a wonderful opportunity for the producers from Vologda to use the IGW to test market food and establish a brand image.
Germany remains one of the most active trade partners of the Vologda region. In 2006 the commodity turnover between the Vologda Oblast and Germany amounted to US$261,1 mln. German companies import reaper-threshers, cage systems for rearing, commercial layer and broiler fattening, raw materials for food industry, equipment for meet processing enterprises and pedigree cattle to the Vologda Oblast. Over the last years such German companies as SCHULTE and FÄSMANN providing a wide range of services in projecting, reconstruction and building of food enterprises (meat, fish, chicken) cooperate successfully with the agricultural enterprises of the Vologda region.