Press Release
AstanàFood - 2006
On 25-27 May 2006, Astana hosted two exhibitions: "AstanàFood 2006" and "AgriHort Astana 2006". They were organised by Iteca, an exhibition company of Kazakhstan, and its international partner - ITE Group Plc (U.K.).
"AstanàFood 2006" is an annual Exhibition of Foodstuffs, Drinks, Packaging and Equipment for Food Industry, which was held for the eighth time and is the biggest and most popular event on this topic in the northern region of Kazakhstan. This year's features included the 50% growth in such factors as the number of exhibitors and visitors and the total exhibition area. Earlier, the exhibition had been held in the Congress Hall in Astana, and now it occupied the Alatau Palace of Sports.
The 1st Kazakhstan International Agriculture Exhibition "AgriHort Astana 2006" was held simultaneously with AstanàFood 2006.
"AstanàFood 2006/AgriHort Astana 2006" exhibitors included more than 100 companies from 14 countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Turkey, U.K., and Ukraine. Notably, 30% of all exhibitors at the two exhibitions are Kazakhstan companies, 35% are companies from Russia, and 35% are companies from the C.I.S. and elsewhere. Over 75% exhibitors of "AstanaFood 2006" are new companies, 46% are producers of food and drinks, 50% are companies which present equipment for the food industry, refrigeration and trade equipment, equipment for supermarkets, restaurants, packaging and packaging equipment.
Exhibitors of "AgriHort Astana 2006" included companies which present agricultural machinery, components, agricultural equipment, equipment for cattle breeding, poultry farms, milk plants, agricultural technologies, fertilisers, plant protection, flour mills, feed mills, grain separators, grain storage systems, veterinary preparations, etc. The visitors learned about products and services offered by the following companies: Van der Ploeg, Agniy, BrovaPharma, MelInvest, Uryupinsk Elevator, Tomskiy Podshipnik, Zernovye Sistemy SNG, TorgZLiN, Development Department for Heat Generators, Asena, Volgograd Electromechanical Plant, KazAgroMarketing, KazAgroFinance, Vysokiy Urozhai, GSCOR, Zagorsk Pilot Plant of Plastic, Honbor Chemical Co, Ivanteyevskiy ElevatorMelMash, Techna, Plexaco, TM, Techno Trade, etc.
The exhibitions' agenda traditionally included presentations and master classes. Successful workshops were held by Van der Ploeg International - Finnish Appliances and KazAgroFinance JSC - Leasing and Credits for Agricultural Vehicles and Equipment for Processing of Agricultural Products. The exhibition included the professional tasting of foodstuffs and alcoholic drinks The Traditions of Quality. More than 15 companies took part in this tasting competition which presented over 30 kinds of food and over 20 kinds of alcoholic drinks by Russian and Kazakhstan companies.
According to the registration of visitors, the three-day-long events attracted over 4,000 visitors from Kazakhstan, Russia, the C.I.S. and abroad, 2,007 of them being specialists and CEOs of food and agricultural enterprises, civil servants, as well as CEOs and specialists of concurrent areas (commerce, packaging, etc.). According to the questionnaires filled in by exhibitors and visitors, 34% said their stand attracted 51 to 100 visitors a day, while the stands of 15% exhibitors were visited by 100 to 200 people. In general, all exhibitors are satisfied with the results: 37% of exhibitors signed contracts during the exhibition, more than 40% of exhibiting companies applied for the 2007 exhibition and increased the area of their exhibitions, more than 45% companies plan to participate in "AstanaFood/AgriHort Astana 2007". 87% of polled specialists said they were going to attend "AstanaFood/AgriHort Astana 2007".
Official support for the events was provided by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana City Akimat, Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, and Kazakhstan Union of Poultry Breeders.
Due to the increase of the exhibition and the number of international exhibitors, "AstanaFood" in 2007 will go out to a new level and have a new brand name: "InterFood Astana". The 2nd Kazakhstan International Agriculture Exhibition "AgriHort Astana 2007" will be held simultaneously with "InterFood Astana 2007". "InterFood Astana 2007" and "AgriHort Astana 2007" will take place on 30 May - 1 June 2007 at the Alatau Palace of Sports in Astana.