Fruit Attraction sees a 10% increase in exhibitors

The 15th anniversary of Fruit Attraction ended Oct. 5 with the best participation figures in the history of the trade fair.

In total, 103,868 professionals from 145 countries attended the event in Madrid, 16% more than last year's edition, according to a news release, and the trade fair registered the participation of 2,000 exhibitors from 56 countries.

Expo space was 10% up from a year ago, and Spanish companies accounted for 60% of the exhibition space, the release said.

Of all the Spanish exhibitors, Andalusia was the region with the largest number of companies (206), followed by the Valencian community (155), Murcia (102), Catalonia (93) and Madrid (84), the release said. Other notable national participants also included Aragon, Extremadura, La Rioja, Castilla La-Mancha and Castilla y León, as well as Navarre, the Basque Country, Galicia, the Canary Islands, Cantabria and Asturias.

The Fresh Produce Area, the exhibition stand space for fruit and vegetable producers and retailers, was once again the largest segment, representing 70% of the fair, a 14% increase compared to last year, according to the release.

The international segment accounted for 40% of occupancy, with 56 countries participating, the release said. On this occasion, 17 new markets joined the event, including Austria, Denmark, Cyprus and Bulgaria. International visitors grew by over 26%, representing 45% of the total number of attendees, the release said.

The largest number of visitors came from Europe, especially from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Germany, according to the release. Latin America was the region that recorded the greatest growth, from countries such as Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina. South Africa, the U.S. and Egypt, among others, also had a strong presence at the fair.

In the field of innovation, Fruit Attraction hosted a new edition of The Innovation Hub, with the exhibition comprising a total of 54 products and services, the release said. This area of the fair also held its Innovation Hub Awards, with the award for the Fresh Produce category going to the company xExprimir, the F&V Industry award going to FMC Agricultural Solution, and Sustainability Actions and Commitment honors going to CAPEC.

Organized by IFEMA Madrid and FEPEX, Fruit Attraction 2024 will be held from Oct. 8-10.