March 28, 2024

All set for Iraq’s largest agrofood event, Agro Pack Iraq Erbil

  • All set for Iraq’s largest industry specific event: The 4th Agro Pack & 2nd Iraq plastprintpack 2021 in Erbil
  • Official country pavilions from Afghanistan, Iran, Netherlands and Turkey
  • ArLeAM is the Platinum Sponsor 2021

(Heidelberg/Istanbul/Erbil) Iraq’s largest agrofood event, Agro Pack Iraq Erbil, is building on the huge success of its three previous editions, most recently from 20 to 23 November 2019, when 151 exhibitors discussed business with 7,245 trade visitors from across Iraq. And Iraq’s largest plastprintpack event expands on its highly successful debut in Baghdad in April 2019.

Agrofood Iraq (file photo)

To create synergies for exhibitors and trade visitors alike, the 4th Agro Pack & 2nd Iraq plastprintpack will be held simultaneously at the Erbil International Fairground from 23 to 26 November 2021.

Agro Pack & Iraq plastprintpack are jointly organised by the leading Turkish organiser So Fuar and the German exhibition specialist fairtrade, with the two organisers pooling the expertise of their teams for the success of the event. So Fuar, in addition to their headquarters in Istanbul, also maintain an office in Erbil, Iraq‘s bustling and safe economic metropolis and the gateway to all of Iraq.

The event is all set to become a major international event as already by the end of July 2021, exhibitors from Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States have registered and there are still many more to come.

Official country pavilions from Afghanistan, Iran, Netherlands and Turkey

Agrofood Iraq (file photo)

Afghanistan Pavilion “Afghan…Naturally”

Afghan dried fruit, nuts, seeds, spices and other horticultural products will be presented under the banner ‘Afghan… Naturally’ by a delegation of Afghan exhibitors. This is the first year that Afghan businesses will be exhibiting in Iraq, although trade between the two countries has been buoyant for several years – particularly in relation to sesame seed, dried apricots, pistachios and sorghum. The Afghan businesses planning to participate already have connections with Iraq that they are looking to expand upon.

Iran Pavilion: More than thirty Iranian companies will showcase their products and solutions in the official Iranian pavilion, supported by the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran.

Holland Pavilion: The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tehran has booked the official Holland Pavilion where Dutch exhibitors will present their products.

Netherlands Dairy Mission 2020

Turkey Pavilion: A large Turkish pavilion with around sixty exhibitors is being organised and supported by the Turkish Ministry of Trade.

Many market leaders from Kurdistan and the entire Iraq will of course also be represented with major stands, and individual exhibitors are expected from around the globe.

Agro Pack Iraq Erbil covers the entire value chain from field to fork, consisting of;

Iraq agro + poultry
Interestingly, Iraq is the Middle East’s second largest importer of agricultural machinery. Right after Saudi Arabia and well before Iran and the UAE. (VDMA) and Iraqi Kurdistan’s poultry industry has dramatically increased over the past five years. There are now 2,000 chicken farms in the Kurdistan Region, producing nearly 190 tons of meat annually. Iraq is the main buyer of Kurdistan’s chicken. Annually, Kurdistan Region’s businessmen and companies buy at least 100-130 thousand tons of live chickens from Kurdistan’s farms and send them to the rest of Iraq alive. Given an average price of 2,000 dinars for each kilo, the trade is worth US$ 216 million. Iraq imports chicken from 19 countries, the lion’s share coming from Turkey, Brazil, USA, and Ukraine, according to official figures from Iraq’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Iraq food + bev tec
Between 2015 and 2019, Iraq’s imports of food & beverage process & packaging technology increased with an annual growth rate of 17.5%, from € 76 million to € 145 million. (VDMA) This makes Iraq the third largest Arab importing country of such technologies in the Middle East. A clear signal of the political will to expand local food production and the „Made-in-Iraq“-trend. Continuous growth is expected in the coming years.

Iraq food ingredients
With 41 million inhabitants, Iraq has long been one of the three largest food markets in the Arab world, after Egypt and on an equal footing with Algeria. Expenditure in the F&B sector is growing steadily, and F&B production is by far the largest segment of the Iraqi processing industry. Accordingly, the demand for food and beverage ingredients is rising continuously.

Iraq food + hospitality
Iraq regularly imports US$ six to eight billion worth of food and agricultural products annually. The value of food production in Iraq amounts to between US$ three to four billion. (FAOSTAT). This makes Iraq one of the largest markets for food & beverage products in the Middle East – still undersupplied. The development is extremely promising.

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