PRESS RELEASE

GreenTech Americas will provide high technology solutions and training to take the protected agriculture sector to the next level in Mexico.

There will be the educational Conference Programme, Crop Optimization & Business and Investment, and an ‘open to all visitors’ GreenTech Stage where industry leaders will present their strategies.

On the exhibition floor, 150 companies from 15 countries will be presented. This first spin-off of GreenTech will be held on Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 August in Querétaro Centro de Congresos, Mexico.

By 2050 there will be 10 billion people, more food needs to be produced, in smaller spaces and with less available water. The adoption of new technologies can save up to 80 percent in crop water use.

In Mexico, protected agriculture is expected to grow between 5 and 10 percent in the coming years and represents 20 percent of the country's agricultural production, with 54 thousand hectares. GreenTech Americas is the platform for sharing knowledge to fulfill this need.

Support from the industry reflects in the 150 companies who will be present from 15 countries including Canada, Spain, the United States, France, Mexico, Israel, Turkey and the Netherlands.

“Our patience will be rewarded finally. We are so much looking forward to launching our first GreenTech spin-off for Mexico and getting together with the horticulture industry of the Americas," Mariska Dreschler, Horticulture Director of GreenTech of RAI Amsterdam said.

"Sharing knowledge, doing business and reconnect with the rapidly increasing horticulture industry, will be the key drivers of the show for all horticulture professionals."

"Queretaro Centro de Congresos (QCC) is getting ready to restart activities and will host GreenTech Americas, as the first international event to be held face to face at this venue," Jose Navarro, General Director of Tarsus Mexico said.

"We are proud to set a precedent and be part of the reactivation of the exhibitions and business forum industry in Querétaro; in addition to providing our country with a world-class exhibition. Visitors can rest assured that strict sanitary measures and protocols will be implemented at all times to take care of their wellbeing and provide them with a biosecure exhibition."

Conference programme highlights

Tuesday 24th of August from 09.00 – 10.00:

“Plant Empowerment. Next-generation growing: the case of success in Mexico” with speakers Paul Arkesteijn (Ludvig Svensson), René Beerkens (Hoogendoorn Growth Management), Remy Maat (Saint-Gobain Cultilene) and Evripidis Papadopoulos (LetsGrow.com). Moderated by Jeannette den Boer (Plant Empowerment) and Pharis Rico (HortiConnect).

Tuesday 24th of August from 10.00 – 11.00:

“What is happening at the export level. Perspective of Mexican Protected Horticulture: Considerations, recommendations and proposals” with speakers Alfredo Díaz (Asociación Mexicana de Horticultura Protegida (AMHPAC)), Georgina Felix (Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA)) and Juan Jose Flores (Aneberries). Moderated by Ricardo Martínez (Asesores en Invernaderos (AB)).

Tuesday 24th of August from 12.00 – 13.00:

“Digital Horticulture – Big data in the greenhouse. What it means and what we can do with them” with speakers  Federico Aguilar (LetsGrow. com), Ma. Loecelia G. Rubalcaba (International Foods Control) and Víctor Rebolledo (Ridder Growing Solutions México). Moderated by Hugo Escoto (Finka).

Thursday 26th of August from 10.30 – 11.30:

“Top management and operation of greenhouses. Learn the variables of operating a greenhouse to achieve the best cost-benefit ratio” with speakers Oscar Woltman (Hortigen (AB)), Tania Romero (FreshMex) and Montserrat Duarte (Agros SA de CV / Agros Produce LLC). Moderated by Hugo Escoto (Finka).

More information about the programme: www.greentech.nl/americas/programme/.

Start-up lane

Innovation and knowledge exchange are the key drivers of GreenTech. To give an extra boost to the sector and help the growers and breeders with innovative solutions, last year the start-up challenge was launched in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy, the Netherlands Business Support Office and KLM.

This challenge gave young and innovative companies from the Netherlands a chance to get in touch with the Latin American market. The two winners, Evja and Gearbox Innovations, will present themselves at the GreenTech Stage.

With Evja, farmers can improve the quality and quantity of their yield, efficiently managing water and chemicals for minimal environmental impact. Evja is helping growers to boost their crops with a mix of sensors, artificial intelligence and predictive agronomic models.

Gearbox Innovations is enhancing growers, breeders and traders to work smarter every day with the use of vision, artificial intelligence & robotic solutions.

Gearbox creates future colleagues who measure and robotise quality and growth, in order to optimise the cultivation process, to save costs and to increase product quality. They make sure growers can work smarter by using high-tech solutions and data driven decision making.