Iraq Agro-Food 2012 exhibition kicks off in Erbil
Iraq Agro-Food 2012 has drawn more than 350 companies from 26 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa to participate in the exhibition, which will last all week.
Speaking about the 5th exhibition, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Serwan Baban, said that this was another opportunity to see the ongoing developments in the sector. He said, “We have witnessed continued growth in each annual exhibition with the number of businesses and officials participating in these events. This is a testament to the exhibition’s continued success and represents the potential of the agriculture industry in Kurdistan.”
Commenting on the event, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa said, “The Kurdistan Region is known as the birthplace of human cultivation, and in keeping with this heritage, this Region used to be the bread basket of Iraq. However, in spite of the tremendous damage that was done to this sector by the former Iraqi regime, this exhibition is an example of how hard we are working to rebuild this vital sector and reclaim this heritage.”
Minister Mustafa pointed out that the interest and participation of so many international companies reveal the safety and stability of the Kurdistan Region and shows the ongoing progress that continues to be made.
Iraq Agro-Food 2012 offers a unique opportunity for national and international agriculture and food experts to meet manufacturers, suppliers, traders, businessmen and officials in order to facilitate their efforts in the country as a whole. The event was organised by International Fairs & Promotions (IFP), a leading business in arranging exhibitions and trade fairs, in coordination with the local authorities in Erbil.
The opening ceremony was attended by several KRG officials, including the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Serwan Baban; Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Sinan Çelebi; Governor of Erbil, Mr Nawzad Hadi, as well as other governmental officials and business representatives. The Polish Ambassador to Iraq, Mr Lech Stefaniak, also participated with other local diplomats.
