Potato Europe 2009 Closed Off Very Successfully
PotatoEurope in Emmeloord, the Netherlands has closed very successfully this evening. Provisional counting shows that a little less than 11,000 people from over 50 countries visited the event. One third of these visitors came from outside the Netherlands. The huge exhibition hall was packed for two days with interested people from the entire international potato sector. Also the harvesting and storing machines at the outdoor terrain were very popular among the visitors present. The visitors rated these machine demonstrations as well as the exhibition with an average grade of 8 plus. The exhibitors were also extremely satisfied.
The size of the exhibition has increased by over 15% compared to the latest edition of this event in 2005. In total almost 200 exhibitors from the Netherlands and abroad presented themselves to the potato professionals.They have made this exhibition an interesting and pleasant meeting place where all aspects of the potato sector were to be seen, to be tasted and to be experienced.
The machine manufacturers demonstrated the performance of their harvesting and storing machines under the eyes of many interested people. Also the trial plots and the exhibitors surrounding these plots received much attention. These trial fiels showed a great number of potato varieties as well as effects of several plant protectors and fertilisers on these varieties. It was very helpful that the weather conditions were much in favour!
The congress programme on 8 and 9 September was appreciated and considered informative and interesting. The programme offered an interactive platform for both the scientific and the potato trade sector.
Another elelement of PotatoEurope is the Innovation Award which was handed out to the company Restrain Company Ltd for its product titled Restrain Generator. Restrain Generator produces low levels of the natural ethylene gas to prevent potatoes from sprouting. Ethylene gives zero residue on the tuber.This product was the well-deserved winner, according to the jury, because it truly is a breakthrough and a product the potato sector has waited for for many years. Mr Dirk Garos of this company received this prestigious award from the hands of the Director-General for Enterprise and Innovation of the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs, Mrs Rene Bergkamp.
PotatoEurope is being organised in a 4-year sequence in the following countries: Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The next edition in the Netherlands will be held in September 2013.