Africa is increasingly strategic for the fruit and vegetable market and, in this sense, Egypt represents a junction and a hub both for Europe and the Middle East. Also for this reason, the first presentation of the 42nd edition of Macfrut (Riminifiera, 6-8 May 2025) took place in Cairo (read EFA News).

As underlined by Michele Quaroni , Italian ambassador in Cairo, "Egypt is a natural partner for Italy" in agrifood and high tech and, at the same time, it is a "large exporter of agricultural products to Italy and Europe" and "a priority country in the Mattei Plan, a government strategy that proposes a new way of approaching African countries, based on the creation of equal partnerships, with agriculture and agrifood at the center of this path".

The president of the Ice Agency Matteo Zoppas also dwelt on the Mattei Plan in his video message, saying: "This year we are bringing 350 operators from 90 countries to establish relationships that can change the fate of a company by giving it the imprint of growth abroad and making a difference in international development".

“Macfrut represents the showcase of the Italian fruit and vegetable supply chain in the world, an extraordinary opportunity to present its supply chain excellence in the global context", said Macfrut President Renzo Piraccini . "We are talking about a sector whose agricultural production is worth over 16 billion euros, a third of which is destined for export. But if we look at the sector in the context of the entire supply chain, its weight is around 50 billion euros, enough to make Italy the world leader with absolute excellence in technology and packaging. And it is precisely to the supply chain context that Macfrut is aimed, the only fair on the global scene capable of bringing together the three key elements of the future of the fruit and vegetable sector: business, knowledge and networking. Anyone who wants to know which direction fruit and vegetables will go in the coming years must come to Macfrut”.

The success of Macfrut, the president added, lies in particular in its organization and in its being a "supply chain fair" that allows visitors to see "all the news in the production chain". Macfrut is also "the only fair with a B2B platform that others do not have. A month before the fair you can already see who the exhibitors and buyers will be and organize your agenda". Macfrut, therefore, is an "attractive format" for medium-sized companies and, next year, will be characterized by a particularly "spectacular" edition full of events. Piraccini said he expects growing numbers also in "international presence" and "logistics", together with the expansion of the "dynamic areas" where "you will see the machines working" and "taste itineraries inside the fair".

Among the peculiarities of the 2025 edition: there will no longer be an African pavilion, since African companies have become so numerous that a specific exhibition area would not be able to contain them all. Confirming this trend, among Macfrut's future projects is the creation of technology centers in Egypt, which could make the fair a point of reference for innovation on the African continent.