There has been a change of date for the fourth edition of NovelFarm, Southern Europe's sole event dedicated to off-site and vertical farming. The fair will take place on 15 and 16 February (no longer on 23 and 24 March 2023, as previously announced) at the Pordenone Fairgrounds. The event, therefore, will be held simultaneously with Aquafarm, as was the case in past years.
The decision stemmed from the shifts in the markets and the uncertainty caused by the energy crisis. The goal is to build a national and international hub for the sector, with an exhibition space and dedicated conferences, where all operators and institutions can meet as well as debate the novelties and potentialities that define all new cultivation techniques.
NovelFarm 2023 will feature some of the major players in the industry in dedicated exhibition areas, as well as a wide-ranging schedule of meetings and opportunities for learning about the most current and cutting-edge topics. Admission is individual and free, with prior registration, and reserved for industry professionals.
NovelFarm will present all the latest developments in science and technology aimed at perfecting innovative cultivation methods to ensure higher yields while maintaining at the same time a high degree of quality and consistency in the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of foods.
It's not just about technology. Off-site and vertical crops are important because of the need to shorten distances between places where food is produced and consumed so as to reduce the impact of transportation, logistics, and waste. They also allow the primary production of food to take place in a manner unrelated to climatic and seasonal conditions, a factor that explains much of Italy's food imports, such as tomatoes for fresh consumption.
In recent years, Italy has exported about 55,000 tons and imported 155,000 tons, thus resulting in a negative balance of 90,000 tons. The beneficiaries of Italy's exports are mainly central and northern European countries, with season-long sales (summer, when we produce more than we consume).
The analysis of imports is more interesting. Apart from Spain, from which Italy imports a little over 39,000 tons (27 percent), and a few percentage points from Tunisia and Morocco, 70 percent comes from Western and Central European countries, including France and Germany. The position of the Netherlands, from which Italy imports nearly 63,000 tons per year, stands out.
The example and solution can be expanded to other sectors. In fact, the placement of above-ground and vertical farming in agricultural production will be the focus of NovelFarm's opening session.
For more information: novelfarmexpo.it