EIMA 2022: global market and Mediterranean agriculture
The 45th edition of this major exhibition, scheduled in Bologna from 9 to 13 November, is a platform for innovation in agriculture. The spotlight will be on technologies for specialised and high added value crops typical of the Mediterranean area. The Agrilevante and Enoliexpo exhibitions are fully integrated with EIMA International.
The world market for agricultural machinery is growing in all the main countries. Sales of tractors in 2021 recorded increases of 10% in the United States (318 thousand units), 13% in India (900 thousand) and 17% in Europe (180 thousand). In the "old continent", the performance of the markets of the Mediterranean area was particularly strong, with Italy leading the way with a substantial +36%, the highest level since 2010. Double-digit progress was also recorded in Turkey (+24%) and Greece (+32%), while Spain posted +9.3%, followed by France (+9.2%). Despite the positive indicators in Southern Europe, the overall balance for the Mediterranean region must take into account the downturns seen in those North African countries that have not yet caught up with the recovery. In the absence of definitive data on sales in these markets, a significant indicator is that of import data in value, since local demand is mostly satisfied by the purchase of machinery from abroad. With the exception of Tunisia (+10%), all of North Africa saw a decline in imports in 2021. More substantial for Algeria (-34%) and Egypt (-11%), more contained for Morocco (-4.5%).
Data on Mediterranean countries, provided by FederUnacoma's Studies Office, were presented this afternoon by the federation's director general, Simona Rapastella, during a press conference held as part of the Enoliexpo exhibition. As she explained during the conference, last year's trend shows a "dual-speed Mediterranean". However, future prospects are encouraging, since the typical products of this region - wine, oil and fruit and vegetable crops with high added value - are gaining more and more space, also due to new food consumption styles. Market analysts by Exportplanning forecast that between 2022 and 2025 imports of tractors to North African countries could grow significantly to meet the growing demand for technologies increasingly suited to specialised crops.
The Mediterranean region is therefore of strategic importance and should be encouraged both in its agricultural development trends and in the demand for mechanisation. This demand increasingly involves new-generation technologies and advanced electronic systems that - as was highlighted during the conference - make it possible to better meet the challenges linked to the ecological transition, climate change and the optimal use of increasingly precious water and energy resources.
Trade fairs are the ideal place to monitor and encourage the development of agricultural mechanisation. "A show like EIMA International, which offers the widest range of technologies and solutions for all agricultural needs, has always been attentive to Mediterranean production and specialised crops. With almost two thousand manufacturers and a public that in recent editions has reached about 300,000 visitors, the Bologna exhibition is one of the world's reference events - said Rapastella - but it is not the only strategic event for the Federation. Indeed, events such as Agrilevante, which will be back from 5 to 8 October 2023, and Enoliexpo, which will be held in Bari for the first time and is an initiative dedicated to operators in the olive oil and wine production chain, are becoming increasingly important". "These high-quality crops with high added value represent - Rapastella concluded - in some respects the very soul of the Mediterranean.”
The latest FederUnacoma press releases
Agricultural machinery, market down in the first three months of the year
Agricultural machinery: appointment at EIMA International
FederUnacoma: a strategic plan for agromechanics