Entrepreneurs and business representatives from 150 countries are taking part in the agricultural machinery exhibition, which is being held in Bologna from 10 to 14 November. The organisation of foreign delegations by ICE, the ‘Special Guest’ programme and a range of business-specific services underpins the exhibition’s international standing and foster trade relations between countries.
The EIMA international agricultural machinery exhibition, taking place at the Bologna Exhibition Centre from 10 to 14 November, reaffirms its status as a global event. Of the 1,800 participating companies, 650 are from abroad, representing 45 countries, whilst business operators are arriving from 150 countries – effectively from every corner of the globe. Mechanisation is a decisive factor for the development of the primary sector and for the protection of the environment and natural resources – emphasises FederUnacoma, the Italian agricultural machinery manufacturers’ federation which organises the exhibition, now in its 47th edition – and there is no region in the world that does not face these challenges and therefore does not need modern equipment for every type of agriculture.
The conferences and symposia taking place over the five days of the exhibition are of an international scope, and this year they cover topics such as agricultural development in Africa, mechanisation in India, trade cooperation between Europe and Latin America, and the new Common Agricultural Policy, alongside the conferences and presentations offered by the numerous diplomatic and government delegations attending the event. A key strength of EIMA International remains the programme of ‘business-to-business’ meetings, organised by FederUnacoma in collaboration with the ICE Agency, involving no fewer than 830 business operators from 120 countries selected by ICE’s worldwide network of offices. The Palazzo dei Congressi, adjacent to the ‘Costituzione’ entrance to the exhibition centre, has been specially set up for the business meetings, offering participating operators and companies interpreting services and assistance with contractual matters.
The three days set aside for foreign operators – Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th – will feature geographical ‘focus’ sessions dedicated respectively to Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia. In addition to this initiative, organised in collaboration with ICE, there is the ‘Special Guest’ programme, which FederUnacoma has arranged for this edition as well, providing hospitality and support for a selection of further international dealers and importers. At the last edition of EIMA – held in 2024 – out of a total of 350,000 attendees, over 65,000 were international visitors, including business operators, farm business owners, agricultural contractors and industry technicians. “The exhibition is taking place at a difficult time for international trade,” says FederUnacoma’s Director General, Simona Rapastella, “due to the protectionist policies of certain countries, geopolitical tensions, and rising transport costs driven by energy prices and new trade routes.”
“All these risks weakening economic relations between countries,” concludes Rapastella, “which, on the contrary, need to be revitalised. EIMA is an effective tool for creating more opportunities to meet, to learn about emerging markets and to revitalise cooperation between countries.”
