The world’s largest agriculture, food industry and horticulture expo, the International Green Week (Internationale Grüne Woche) began in Berlin on Friday; the Hungarian stand was opened by Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazekas.

According to tradition, the jubilee, 80th International Green Week began with a tour of the fair by the German Minister of Agriculture and the Governing Mayor of Berlin. Christian Schmidt and Michael Müller visited the various national stands and were received at the Hungarian stand by Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazekas. Later, Dutch Minister of Agriculture Sharon Dijksma also visited the Hungarian stand at the head of a delegation of 80 business people.

This is the 43rd time that Hungary is participating in the world’s number one international agriculture expo. Dozens of Hungarian enterprises are showcasing their high quality and premium products, such as wines, marzipan desserts, spice extracts and game and Mangalitsa pork products, with the help of the General Management Team of Hungarian Tourism Ltd’s Agrarian Marketing Centre.

1658 exhibitors from 68 countries are displaying their products during this year’s International Green Week. According to the organisers, the expo, which lasts until 25 January, will be attended by some 400 thousand visitors, including 100 thousand from the agrarian sector.

The event in Berlin is also an important forum for agricultural diplomacy, and this will be the seventh time that the expo will host the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) agriculture ministers’ summit, which will also be attended my Mr. Fazekas.

The main topics of discussion will be the planned free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, the so-called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement, food safety, the international fight against famine and the Russian embargo on agricultural imports, which is having a negative effect on the EU and with relation to which the Ministerial Commissioner responsible for foreign trade measures relating to the Russian embargo, Gyiula Budai from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will be holding talks in the German capital.

(Ministry of Agriculture)