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ITALY SEEKS TO CONFIRM ITS LEADERSHIP IN THE CONFECTIONERY INDUSTRY AT THE AGROPRODMASH FAIR
Agroprodmash is the biggest exhibition of machinery and plants for the food industry in Eastern Europe. From 15th to 19th October Italy will take part in the fair's 12th edition (www.agroprodmash-expo.ru/en/) with excellent credentials: in the last year Italian exports to Russia in the niche of the confectionery industry enjoyed an exceptional increase..
In the last edition the fair attracted 47,000 visitors, mainly local industry traders attracted by 725 exhibitors from 31 countries spread over a 21,000 square meter exhibition area. Agroprodmash, while remaining very much a Russian affair since only three exhibitors out of ten come from abroad, is sometimes described as a gateway to a market with enormous potential. This is why international presence in the event is increasing more and more.
Amongst the foreign exhibitors, the Italian presence is certainly one of the strongest. Last year, 45 Italian firms (5% of the total) took part in Agroprodmash, most of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs). For this year's edition, ICE (the Italian Trade Commission) has organised an official delegation in cooperation with ANIMA, the trade association of the confectionery industry in Italy.
Italy is the second supplier of machinery and plants for the food industry to Russia. Italian confectionery firms are well respected by industry specialists, distinguished for their capacity to adapt to individual clients' needs and have a great chance to make further inroads in the local market. Russia, where domestic consumption is booming and the financial situation of local industries is consolidating, looks like an interesting market for this niche industry. The eventual modernisation of the local operators should boost the demand for imports of machinery and plants in the next few years. The objective of the ICE delegation is therefore to consolidate the presence of Italian firms in a dynamic sector with high liquidity.
In particular, one of the most successful niches for the Italian food industry is the production of machinery and plants for the processing of fruit and vegetables. According to the latest 6-month report by ANIMA, published in July, exports in this sector are set to grow by 18.1% this year, reaching 142 million euros in value. Two-figure increases are also predicted for exports of pasta processing and extrusion plants (+12.3% to 125.5 million euros), as well as for baking equipment for bread, biscuits, confectionery and pizza-making (+11.8% to 379 million euros).
For the Italian confectionery plant equipment industry, Russia is the main export market. In 2006 - as mentioned earlier - exports enjoyed a sharp increase of 207.4%, even though in absolute terms their value is still quite low. Increases were less significant for the slicing and meat-mincing sector, with a predicted jump in exports of 14,9% by the end of 2007, reaching a value of 85 million euros, markedly inferior compared to other niches.
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