The challenges of sustainability, innovation and new requirements in the fruit-growing industry have fruit-growers and agriculturists eager for a chance to talk amongst themselves. The tenth edition of Fruchtwelt Bodensee, which is to take place from February 18 to 20, 2022, will provide the trade with a platform for just such an exchange on an international scale. More than 350 exhibitors will be in attendance, presenting a comprehensive range of products and working with experts to afford an overview of trends, developments and solutions from both practical and academic perspectives. In addition, the 40th Bodensee Obstbautage Fruit-growing Conference at Lake Constance and the International Distillers' Day will provide a more detailed look at selected industry topics. On an interdisciplinary level, the social, ecological and economic future of fruit-growing will be at issue there.
"In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Messe Friedrichshafen is providing the exhibitors and visitors of the Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2022 exhibition with a place to get together in safety for a much-needed conversation. Since July 2021, we've regularly demonstrated our ability to organise excellent trade fairs with sound hygiene and safety protocols," explained Klaus Wellmann, CEO of Messe Friedrichshafen.
Project lead Petra Rathgeber was also optimistic, saying, "We're quite satisfied with the way things are developing; we actually have about the same number of bookings as we did at the same point in 2019, before the pandemic started. The exhibitors' backgrounds at Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2022 will include fruit-growing, distilling, agricultural engineering, and even warehousing, packaging, marketing, and other areas. So we're looking forward to the Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2022 exhibition offering a versatile, international range of products as well as a supporting program with specialist content provided by our industry partners."
Current events: 40th "Bodensee-Obstbautage" Fruit-growing Conference at Lake Constance
The 40th Fruit-growing Conference at Lake Constance will commence with a panel discussion on the topic of "The Future of Fruit-growing at Lake Constance: Social, Economic, and Ecological" in the West Foyer. The discussion will emphasise sustainability and the many ways that fruit-growers and agriculturists in the Lake Constance region are implementing it.
Members of the panel will include Peter Hauk (State Minister of Agriculture), Peter Ehleiter (head of the Purchasing division at EDEKA Südwest), Dr. Ulrich Mayr (of the Lake Constance competence center for fruit-growing, KOB), Thomas Heilig (of the regional fruit-growing association Obstregion Bodensee e.V.), and Birgit Gutberlett-Geisinger (of the regional organic fruit-growers' association ÖKOBO).
The other specialist presentations and discussions on the program will also take place in the West Foyer. "An important characteristic of the food industry to consider when thinking about the topic of 'Sustainability – Social, Economic, and Ecological' is the fact that the market forces and the elasticity of supply and demand are very unevenly distributed. This makes agricultural producers' cost-effectiveness far less reliable than that of operators further down the value creation chain," explained Dr. Egon Treyer, CEO of the market alliance Bodenseeobst eG.
Innovation: Agri-solar energy from the shores of Lake Constance
To adequately meet the demands that climate change will bring, fruit-growers in the region are starting to focus on using agricultural areas for solar energy generation. The first pilot projects involving placing solar panels on agricultural land have delivered promising results. "We've already begun experimenting in the hopes of finding ways to fulfil our ecological responsibilities. The questions of sustainability and energy generation are growing in significance for fruit-growers and agriculturists," emphasised Dr. Manfred Büchele of the KOB. Along with other experts of the energy sector, the state environmental and building law administration, the Fraunhofer Institute, and local fruit-growers, KOB representative Dr. Ulrich Mayr will examine the legal requirements, permits, cost-benefit ratios, and practical examples of agri-solar energy generation.
Game-changers: Development of resistant varieties increasing
After 2021's rainy summer, the late-spring freezes of recent years, and the heat wave of 2018, fruit-growers in the Lake Constance region are focussing more and more on the use of robust, resistant apple varieties. "The development of such varieties is growing in importance for us. This is driven not only by losses due to freezing and dry spells but also by the wish to reduce the use of plant protection agents. Resistant varieties may play a significant role in protecting our local dessert fruit industry against environmental stresses, fungi, and diseases," reported the two chairpersons of the fruit-growing association Obstregion Bodensee eV, Thomas Heilig and Erich Röhrenbach.
Tasty: International Distillers' Day comes to Friedrichshafen
Four years after its last edition, the International Distillers' Day will take place in Friedrichshafen once more at the Fruchtwelt Bodensee fruit-growing trade fair on Saturday, February 20. Visitors will be given a practical, technical introduction to distillery technology by Andreas Metzler, chairperson of a local distillers' association, "Verband der Klein- und Obstbrenner Südwürttemberg-Hohenzollern". No prior registration is required; anyone who is interested may attend, subject to the applicable coronavirus regulations. Additional tickets for other liqueur seminars may be purchased online together with the exhibition ticket.
Enriching: Startups reinventing fruit-growing and agriculture
For the second time, Fruchtwelt Bodensee will provide new startups with an opportunity to present themselves and get in contact with exhibitors and the trade. New ideas and solutions give fruit-growers, agriculturists, and distillers the opportunity to rethink their working processes. Particular emphasis will be placed on the topics of reducing the use of plant protection agents, transportation, new apple varieties, increasing productivity, and vertical farming.
Far-reaching: More attention being paid to public relations
The machinery syndicate and farmers' association of Tettnang, a city in the Lake Constance region, and the Obst vom Bodensee regional fruit-growers' association demonstrate the importance of social media for fruit-growing and agriculture nowadays. Members, fans, and consumers are kept informed about the activities of channel owners and their guests on Instagram and Facebook. In particular, the web presence of the "Bodenseebauern" (Lake Constance farmers) has garnered a lot of attention. Around 3,000 followers find out regularly about various agricultural and fruit producers in the region, who share their everyday work and lives in pictures and videos. Dr. Hermann Gabele of the Lake Constance District Office said, "This new channel is attracting a lot of attention on social media for the Bodenseebauern. People ask them questions about their daily work, and colleagues write to them asking about methods, processes and solutions to specific problems. Consumers seem especially impressed by the variety of the work of fruit-growers and agriculturists. The Bodenseebauern are using social media as a new opportunity to gather support for the industry and its workers and to increase the prestige and appreciation of its products." The District Office will be holding a series of presentations on public relations on Sunday, February 20.
Messe Friedrichshafen itself uses and encourages the use of social media to increase the reach and recognition of the Fruchtwelt Bodensee exhibition. Project lead Petra Rathgeber said, "We appreciate the opportunity to speak directly to fans, future visitors, and the interested public – and to supply them with the latest information on the upcoming Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2022 exhibition." The Instagram channel of Fruchtwelt Bodensee will go online in January 2022.
Ticket prices and opening hours:
Fruchtwelt Bodensee will be presenting the world of fruit-growing and agriculture from Friday, February 18, to Sunday, February 20, 2022. It will be open on the Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Day tickets are available online only for 15 euros each (reduced price 11 euros). Family tickets are available starting at 25 euros. The event will take place in accordance with Messe Friedrichshafen's tried and tested hygiene and safety protocols.
For more information:
Fruchtwelde Bodensee
www.visit.fruchtwelt-bodensee.de/de