Organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and by the Flormart exhibition – Foreign buyers met Italian companies and associations – Floriculture an expression of Made in Italy

Italian floriculture is another expression of Made in Italy, recognized in Europe and around the world. In order to promote it, the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and Flormart, the national exhibition in the sector since 1974, organized an event at Expo Dubai. On 20 and 21 March, a delegation of Italian floriculture companies and associations were able to meet foreign buyers from the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) and from the Balkans. The  meetings were enriched by networking opportunities and study visits.

The two-day event was held in the “M-Eating Italy” area, organized by Fiere di Parma for the whole duration of Expo Dubai, and was attended by 30 foreign buyers and representatives of: ANVE – National Association of Nurserymen Exporters, ASSOVERDE – Italian Association of Green Area Builders, Astrit Haka Farm, Floriculturists’ District of Saonara, Gruppo Padana, Romiti Nursery, Sgaravatti Group, Capitanio Nursery, Maistrello Nursery, Aumenta Nursery, and Vs Associati Studio.

The Italian delegation was also received, in the Italy Pavilion, by the Italian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Nicola Lener.

The mission has provided the opportunity to promote the quality and uniqueness of our floriculture production and to find out more about key export markets for floriculture production.

The results of these meetings were described by the Italian floriculture companies and associations as very positive.

“As Italian producers we have always been greatly interested in the Middle Eastern markets– said Leonardo Capitanio, President of ANVE National Association of Nurserymen Exporters – also because we can bring a level of quality and variety which they could not find anywhere else. Being able to go together with influential bodies such as Flormart, Fiere di Parma and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) is even more important because it undoubtedly raises our profile.”

“Collaborating, working in other countries and with professionals and companies from all over the world – pointed out Rosi Sgaravatti, President of Assoverde – is not just an opportunity as far as work is concerned, but also a way to acquire new technologies and skills and make our companies more competitive”.

“Thanks to the collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and Flormart of Padua – said Michela Lazzaro, Deputy Mayor of Saonara (Padua) – our district has seized an important opportunity that has allowed us to meet selected international operators and to find out more about key export markets for Italian floriculture production“.

The contents of the event were described in a conference held in the M-Eating area, with the following speakers: Roberto Luongo, General Manager of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE);  Marcella Pedroni, General Secretary of Fiere di Parma; Leonardo Capitanio, President of ANVE – National Association of Nurserymen Exporters; Rosi Sgaravatti, President of Assoverde – Italian Association of Green Area Builders; Michela Lazzaro, Deputy Mayor of  Saonara (Padua), representative of the Floriculturists’ District of Saonara.

Thanks to the collaboration with ICE, the next Flormart events where Italian floriculture operators can explore  export opportunities for their sector will be Expo Floriade 2022, at the end of June, and Flormart, to be held in Padua on 21-23 September 2022. On this occasion, the event will again attract significant numbers of selected buyers from the main markets involved in the sector.