This year’s NAMPO Harvest Day is set to attract record numbers of visitors to the Bothaville, Free State venue from 16 to 19 May 2017, with leaders in the agricultural sector demonstrating the latest in products and services.
From strength to strength
Organised by Grain SA, the four-day exhibition last year attracted an unmatched 75 116 visitors who came to interact with the 685 exhibitors. One of these successful exhibitors was a leading supplier of agricultural equipment and tools, Radium Engineering, who will be returning for the 49th year running in 2017.
“This show provides an incredible platform for those in the agricultural industry to interact with various business owners and suppliers face-to-face,” said Grant Roest, CEO of Radium Engineering. “This is vital to the growth of this sector within the country as it opens up local farmers and industry players to an international market.”
Radium Engineering offers a broad range of expertly designed, dependable implements aimed at satisfying the agricultural and farming equipment needs. With Radium being at the forefront of technological advances and ground-breaking design, each piece of machinery is carefully designed and manufactured according to strict specifications. Their range includes pasturators, spreaders, tillage and feeding equipment.
Because of the trade show’s calibre, global interest by exhibitors and visitors is increasing year on year with 2016 welcoming some 60 foreign exhibitors and more expected in 2017. This, as well as the boost in numbers overall, is indicative of growth in the industry despite tough agricultural conditions.
The importance of NAMPO
The exhibition’s 50-year run has seen massive growth from its humble 1967 origins when a total of eight exhibitors participated and 203 people attended. The exhibition obviously fulfilled a massive need in the South Africa market for an agriculturally-focused, needs-driven trade show that now attracts representatives from every aspect of the industry.
The initial focus of maize production and its mechanisation has been transformed into static exhibitions and virtual displays, with specialists in the various fields giving knowledgeable insights into modern products and practices. The NAMPO 2017 Harvest Day’s exhibitors and facilities have managed to keep up with developments in farming technology, ensuring almost every facet of agriculture is addressed.
According to Cobus van Coller, chairman of the NAMPO Harvest Day: “Over the past half-century the NAMPO Harvest Day has evolved into a brand that accurately resonates modern agriculture in South Africa. It speaks to the general public as consumers of our agricultural products; it speaks to all producers in our country; it speaks to decision makers in government and the industry; it even appeals to the international arena and the growing interest from abroad confirms it.”
He said the recent drought has made it particularly important for producers to visit NAMPO 2017 festival for the exchange of information and insights.
Visitors to NAMPO 2017 will be exposed to a combination of the latest mechanisation technology, a wide variety of input products, vehicles and fixtures all dedicated to improving the agricultural process. In the animal section, there will be representation of large-stock and small-stock breeds – with a daily livestock exhibition – as well as horses and even exhibitions by the wildlife industry. The auctioneers’ competition, hosted in the auction hall, is also one of the show highlights.
Visit NAMPO Harvest Day 2017 from 16 to 19 May outside Bothaville, Free State. Tickets available at www.ticketpros.co.za
