Growing Interpom | Primeurs sees increasing international interest

November 29, 2014

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Interpom | Primeurs

The 17th edition of INTERPOM | PRIMEURS in Kortrijk Xpo has again chalked up record visitor numbers with no less than 19 529 visitors, representing an increase of 10.5%.

In spite of the difficult market situation in Northwestern Europe today, these growth figures (the last edition was also up 25.7%) together with the many new products at the event show that there is strong confidence in the future of our potato, fruit and vegetable sector.

There is nothing random about the theme of the event, ‘together for sustainable growth’ – everyone is aware of the importance of sustainable growth and the many innovative products on display at INTERPOM PRIMEURS are further proof of this. There was a very positive atmosphere and a striking increase in interest from foreign visitors from all over the world.

A complete range of exhibits

This year, INTERPOM PRIMEURS was completely sold out, with 278 exhibitors (+ 7.7%) from 15 different countries occupying a total stand area of 16 171m² (+14%).

In all, the organizers welcomed a total of 19 529 visitors: 8 987 on the Sunday (+ 4.3% compared with the last edition), 5 661 on Monday (+ 10.5%) and 4 881 on the closing day (+24%).

This means that INTERPOM PRIMEURS is now the largest indoor trade platform in Europe – and even worldwide – for all professionals in the potato, fruit and vegetable sector, where the whole chain is represented, from growing to processing and marketing.

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Potato Processor Lamb Weston
Potato Packer Pomuni
Potato Breeder Binst
Dewulf Potato Harvesters

Hindryckx and Condi-plants win Inno Potato Award 2014

Good ideas deserve to be rewarded! Especially if they make our agriculture more efficient, sustainable and higher quality.

This is why the entire potato chain has come together again to present the third Inno Potato Award. The prize is awarded by the sector to potato producers with innovative projects, as a means of encouraging potato growers to continue to work on innovation in the sector.

Jeroen Hindryckx of Koekelare and Condi-Plants of Gembloux are the winners of the third Inno Potato Award. Their projects were selected over the first two days of the event by their fellow potato growers and a professional jury as the most innovative projects on show. Hindryckx impressed everyone with his spreader for effluent containing nitrogen and he is the winner in Flanders.

For Wallonia, Condi-Plants won with its preventative treatment of seed potatoes against rhizoctonia.

Representatives of the Ministers of Agriculture presented the awards and cheques provided by the Flemish and Walloon governments to the prizewinners at the official award ceremony on the closing day of the event.

Winners Inno Potato Award 2014…

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Winners Inno Potato Award 2014 at Interpom | Primeurs

Flanders

1.500 euro for Jeroen Hindryckx from Koekelare
1.000 euro for Dirk Serry uit Ouwegem from Kruishoutem
750 euro for Tim Bockstael, Noël and Hubert De Beuf from Vollezele

Wallonia

1.500 euro for Condi-Plants from Gembloux
1.000 euro for Sébastien Deknudt from Braine-le-Comte
750 euro for Jean-Pol Tellier from Liberchies

Review the projects (in Dutch and French) or watch a video presentation (in Dutch)

Inspiring and informative seminars

In addition to the extensive range of exhibitors and unlimited scope for networking, INTERPOM | PRIMEURS also presented a varied programme of three seminars on the Monday.

Dr. Annette Förschler (QS), Brigitta Wolf (Vegaplan) and ir. Bert Waterink (VVA/VVAK) gave a presentation on the exchangeability of quality systems for potato, fruit and vegetable products.

Fedepom and Belgapom organized a panel discussion with Sascha Siegel (Eurex) and Edwin Burgers (DCA) on the the question of ‘Is the futures market a risk-spreading instrument for trading and processing?’

Katrien De Nul (Vlam) and Luc Roisin (Apaq-W) gave a presentation on ‘Generic promotion of potatoes and potato products’. For comparison, Kate Cox of the British Potato Council (the British counterpart of Vlam & Apaq-W) presented her own British promotion campaign and the impact it has had. Finally, the brand new promotion campaign ‘Belgian potato products from the land of potato chips’ was presented by Belgapom.

Interpom | Primeurs Seminars

Monday 24 November

9.30 - 10.45
EQUIVALENCE OF QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR POTATO, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GROWERS
Speakers: Dr. Annette Förschler (QS) – Mrs. Brigitta Wolf (Vegaplan) – Ir. Bert Waterink (VVA/VVAK)

For more than a decade, the Belgian horticultural sector has been deploying its Vegaplan, a quality system for food and plant safety and environmental protection that is recognised by both the authorities and users. A striking feature is the ‘bottom-up’ approach whereby the primary sector works together with purchasers to develop the system further.

In 2014 the Vegaplan standard expanded to include sustainability and integrated pest management (IPM). Certification under the Vegaplan thus became a pioneer in guaranteeing sustainability and health safety in the growing and processing of fruit and vegetables.

But potatoes and vegetables move beyond national frontiers and this is why our quality control system and those of our main neighbours have to be interchangeable. Consequently, the Dutch Food Safety Certificate for Potatoes and Arable Farming, the German QS and the Belgian Vegaplan are all recognised as equivalent.

Structural consultation has been launched between the partners to this end. This seminar discusses how this international cooperation should evolve.

Download presentations:

12:00 - 13:00
THE FUTURES MARKET: AN INSTRUMENT FOR SPREADING RISKS IN TRADING AND PROCESSING?
Speakers: Mrs. Sascha Siegel (Eurex) – Edwin Burgers (DCA)
Organization: Fedepom & Belgapom

Potato growers have already been using the futures market for some time but as yet, not many people are using this instrument in the trading and processing sectors. Fedepom, the French association for the potato trade, and Belgapom, the Belgian association for potato traders and processors, are working together to offer their members an afternoon seminar introducing them to how the futures market works and the possibilities it offers for their businesses.

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Dhr. Edwin Burgers (DCA)
Sascha Siegel presentation is not available

14:00 - 15:30
GENERIC PROMOTION OF POTATOES AND POTATO PRODUCTS
Speakers: Katrien De Nul (Vlam) – Luc Roisin (Apaq-W) – Kate Cox (British Potato Council) & Joris Verhoeven (IKON)

Both in Flanders and Wallonia, the potato sector has built up extensive experience of promoting fresh potatoes on the domestic market and as an export. Promotional campaigns are set up in conjunction with Vlam and Apaq-W to stimulate potato consumption among consumers in general. Vlam and Apaq-W will be presenting a seminar detailing how these campaigns are set up and the concrete results they have yielded. The British Potato Council, the British equivalent of Vlam / Apaq-W, will also present its own campaign and the impact it has had.

In addition, the new Belgian campaign for the promotion of processed potatoes will also be unveiled. Belgian potato processors have recently established themselves as the largest exporters of frozen chips in the world: Belgian potato products are reaching more and more customers in all continents. Real ‘Belgian chips’ can be distinguished from similar products from other producers on the basis of taste, all-round enjoyment and authenticity and this will be the basis of the new promotional campaign: ‘Belgian potato products from the land of the potato chip’.

Download presentations:

The next edition of INTERPOM | PRIMEURS is planned for 27, 28 & 29 November 2016 in Kortrijk Xpo.