The latest press material about the IGW 2008 is available online (www.gruenewoche.com / Press Info) and may be used free of charge and for research purposes:
· 77 brief reports on the day’s activities in English
· 31 in-depth press releases on all the main themes of the IGW
· 322 of the latest press photos and over 100 historic images
· Radio items and original recordings
· Footage for TV and online editorial departments
· Current overview of the day’s events for the press
· Press contacts at the Green Week
Contents
1st International Dairy Farmers’ Convention: Using the opportunities presented by the world market 1
Latvia’s State President Zatlers visits the Green Week. 2
Finland stages seminar on innovative cereal products. 2
Green tea from Nepal at the Green Week. 2
Tunesia: Couscous Royal from the best belly dancer at the Green Week. 3
Slovenia presents agricultural produce with protected region of origin status. 3
Angelo provides canzoni as an encore. 3
Art works made from elk antlers and mammoth tusks. 4
Healthy fruit from Vietnam.. 4
1st International Dairy Farmers’ Convention: Using the opportunities presented by the world market
At the present time the markets for milk and dairy products are undergoing a period of dynamic growth. The German Farmers’ Association (DBV) invited some 800 participants to meet with market experts and politicians at the ICC Berlin to discuss the challenges and the opportunities that this presents for dairy producers. Germany’s Federal Minister for Agriculture Horst Seehofer declared his opposition to the plans by the EU to increase milk quotas on 1 April 2008. The economic prospects that have recently become available to farmers should not be destroyed again; milk prices are again collapsing. Seehofer also called for an accompanying programme for farmers, who cannot survive strictly under market conditions. "I want a health check, and with it a milk policy based on the principles of reliability, simplification and diversity", the minister said. Florian Engler from Rabobank Frankfurt, who is an expert on the milk market, remains unperturbed about the EU Commission’s plans: although a two per cent increase in the milk quotas in 2008/2009 would create a production potential of 5.7 million tonnes, "this amount must first be obtained from the cows", Engler stated. High feed prices and rising costs for land that is in short supply would inhibit any expansion of production. Engler expects prices to fluctuate worldwide, but at a high level, because stocks have been run down and production costs have risen. However, prices will fluctuate widely. The market expert predicted an annual, worldwide increase in the demand for dairy products of 2.5 per cent. Demand will be high in South America, Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa in particular. Because production in these countries is insufficient, Europe could fill the gap. If German farmers want to gain a share of this market there must be a greater concentration in the dairy sector in order to improve international competitiveness.
Russell Mildon, Director of the Directorate for the Economics of Agricultural Markets in the EU, emphasised the strengths of the European dairy industry, especially for high quality processed products. He spoke in favour of a gradual increase in the milk quotas until 2015, when they are due to be abolished, in order to provide farmers with a "softer landing".
(Contact: Dr. Michael Lohse, telephone: +49-(0)-30-31904240, mobile: +49-(0)-172-2640662)
Latvia’s State President Zatlers visits the Green Week
The State President of the Republic of Latvia, Valdis Zalters, and his wife Lilita Zatlere, were welcomed with all appropriate honours at the trade show by the CEO of the organising company, Raimund Hosch The roads on the Exhibition Grounds were briefly closed beforehand, and escorted by nine motorcycles, the distinguished visitors were brought to Hall 8.2 in three limousines. The trio of visitors, accompanied by numerous press representatives, called at the stands of Bulgaria, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Following discussions with the Bulgarian ambassador Dr. Meglena Plugtschieva and the Lithuanian embassy counsellor Gudaviius Viktoras, the visitors walked to the Estonian stand, where Ruve Schank, Minister Counsellor and Permanent Representative of Estonia at the Food Agriculture Organisation, talked about the "Baltic Sea Culinary Route". Like the German Wine Route, all the countries bordering the Baltic, along with the German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, are planning to set up a chain of typical regional and rural restaurants and hotels. Groups of travellers should be able to enjoy typical local dishes and specialities. "The route is a European INTERREG community initiative. The idea was first mooted by the Finnish Agriculture Minister at the time, during the Green Week 2005", according to Ruve Schank. "The Latvian restaurants will be marked on maps, and vegetarians will be able to use GPS to identify those restaurants where they can find their own special food", said Ingna Gulbe, an advisor to the Latvian Minister for Agriculture.
Finland stages seminar on innovative cereal products
During the Green Week the Finnish Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry is organising a seminar dealing with Finnish expertise in the development of innovative cereal products. Examples will be provided by various firms and organisations, and they will also report on the commercial prospects for Finnish cereal products in Germany. This event will be opened by the Commercial Counsellor at the Ministry, Seppo Koivula. The seminar will be taking place on Thursday, 24 January, starting at 3.30 p.m. at the Finland Institute, Georgenstrasse 24 (Berlin-Mitte), (apply by telephoning +49-(0)-30-520026013).
(Hall 8.2, Stand 120, contact: Seppo Koivula, tel. +358-9-16052698, mobile: +358-40-5418735, e-mail:seppo.koivula@mmm.fi)
Green tea from Nepal at the Green Week
Anniversary on the Nepal stand: Saumendra Shrestha is attending this international food show in Berlin for the 25th time. He says that tea from his country has become popular because of the Green Week. Nepal did not used to be known for its tea, but this has changed ever since it began exhibiting at the Green Week. The stand director also explained that there were only three tea plantations in the entire country at the start of 1980, compared with 40 today. Nepal has certain advantages over other tea producers because the regions where it is grown have only recently been used for tea cultivation and consequently produce a better quality than older plantations. Furthermore highland tea is of an excellent quality, tastes good even without the addition of milk and sugar, and does not become bitter even after being left to brew for a long time, Shrestha explains. This accounts for the popularity of tea from his country in Germany, as well as in Japan and Switzerland. The Green Week and the Nepalese highland teas in particular attract many regular customers, Shresta notes with pleasure. He has brought 16 varieties to Berlin this time, along with Himalayan salt. A new addition this year is Chai Masal, a black tea with spices such as long pepper, nutmeg blossom, cardamom, cloves and ginger.
Tunesia: Couscous Royal from the best belly dancer at the Green Week
This year the Tunisian stand is featuring the country’s typical couscous, known here as "Couscous Royal", which is steamed in the juices from cooking vegetables and meat. Another new addition to the display consists of vegetarian pan-fried dishes, which are being prepared by Sohra Ben Arfa, one of the staff on the stand. She is also selling a Franco-Tunisian creation, "Baguette Merguez", which includes spicy Tunisian sausage. "It also contains a secret ingredient", says her colleague, stand director Karim Ouerhami, but not saffron or any of the many other blends of spices being offered by Zaidi Omessaad. "The excellent fig jam is a brand new addition", she says. The stand is the scene of hectic activity, just like an oriental bazaar. Staff are loudly promoting the dates from Southern Tunisia, white nougat flavoured with rose petals, and halva, known in Tunisia as shamia. And when she is in the mood, Sohra Ben Arfa performs the best belly dancing at the Green Week, accompanied by drumming and singing from all the others on the stand.
(Hall 8.2, Stand 106, contact: Karim Ouerhami, mobile: +49-(0)-175-7062351)
Slovenia presents agricultural produce with protected region of origin status
During its presidency of the Council of the EU Slovenia’s presentation at the Green Week is providing details about its growing number of agricultural products which have protected region of origin status. On the stand in Hall 18 these include cheese from Nanos, Sunka ham and Zlati Panj honey, as well as pumpkin seeds and olive oil. Other specialities such as salami in lard are due for inclusion in the protected list too, according to Tomaz Srsen. A small restaurant is serving typical regional specialities such as cep soup with buckwheat, baked sausage with potatoes, Kranjska sausage with sour radish, and sweet Prekmurska Gibanica pies containing walnuts, apples and cream. Fine Slovenian wines, fruit brandies from the mountainous Dolenski region and the well-known Lasko beer are also very popular with visitors to the trade show.
(Hall 18, Stand 117, contact: Tomaz Srsen, mobile: +386-4-1662855)
Angelo provides canzoni as an encore
Italy and music are inseparable from one another. In Hall 17, where well over a dozen Italian businesses are exhibiting their products, Angelo Gregorio can be relied upon to create the right atmosphere. Whenever the powerfully voiced manager of the agricultural holding Cinque Stelle (Five Stars) strike up new canzoni visitors throng to his stand and applaud enthusiastically. From his home in Bosco, south of Naples, where he also offers farm holidays in the picturesque Cilenta National Park, between the Gulf of Policastro and the mountains of Monte Bulgheria and Monte Cervati, Angelo has brought cheeses such as cacciocavallo, olive oils, sucking pig and various types of sausage, with donkey, wild pig and truffle salami being particular favourites with the public. Ostriches are also bred in Southern Italy and are used to make a tasty sausage.
(Hall 17, Stand 117, contact: Evelyn Paulicz, mobile:+49-(0)-177-3715998, e-mail: evelyn.paulicz@gmx.de)
Art works made from elk antlers and mammoth tusks
Her work has already been shown at exhibitions from Bern to Beijing, and has won many awards and she is attending the International Green Week in person for the first time. Natalia Taligina can be seen at work on the stand of the autonomous region of Jamal-Nenzen (West Siberia) in Hall 2.2. A member of the Khanty people, this artist studied for five years in St. Petersburg and is currently working at the Centre for Ethnic Crafts in the regional capital Salehard. She carves wonderful pendants and sculptures from miniature to life size. Her motifs include animals such as wolves, elks, cranes and polar bears, and the materials she uses also come from her homeland within the Arctic Circle: limewood, elk and reindeer antlers, and mammoth tusks which are thousands of years old are all used to create these works of art. It takes Natalia only two hours to complete a small figure, but the larger ones can take several weeks. She also carves sculptures from ice and last February she attended the international festival in Perm for the second time. There is no shortage of materials because the annual average temperature in the 750,000 square metre territory of Jamal-Nenzen is around minus eleven degrees. One third of all the world’s reindeer are found there, and together with fish and furs they represent the region’s main economic assets.
Healthy fruit from Vietnam
M&S Marketing Consulting Trade Services deals in items such as rice, coffee, tea, seafood, pineapple concentrate and exotic fruits from Vietnam. The company is exhibiting some of these items at the Green Week, where they can also be purchased. They include, for example, red dragon fruit from Tien Giang, a region in the south of Vietnam. Jackfruit, which is also on display, is rich in minerals and vitamins, as well as being a source of energy – 100 grams supplies around 170 kilo calories, as the team on the stand explain to visitors. Durian, which can also be seen on the stand, are another fruit that is packed with energy. They have a cheesy flavour and also contain high levels of minerals and vitamins. Other exhibits include red and white wines, and rice spirit made from scented and glutinous rice. Many visitors like to take one of the Vietnamese straw hats known as "non la" home as a reminder of the Green Week.
(Hall 7.2c, Stand 101, contact: Kim Phi, telephone: +49-(0)-30-88676534, e-mail: kim.phi@msmarketing.de)
This press release, press photos of the Green Week and the logo pattern can also be found on the internet at www.gruenewoche.com. Footage of the IGW 2008 is now available to TV and online editors and can be downloaded from www.tvservicebox.de.
Обзоры и аналитика
