Macfrut 2025 opens in Rimini with strong global presence

ITALY – Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida, officially opened the 42nd edition of Macfrut today at the Rimini Expo Centre.

The three-day trade fair, running until 8 May, draws thousands of professionals from around the world to focus on innovation, business, and sustainability across the fruit and vegetable supply chain.

This year’s Macfrut hosts 1,400 exhibitors, with over 40 percent from outside Italy, and 1,500 international buyers. Events include themed exhibitions, technical test fields, and discussions on future developments in agriculture.

Macfrut President Renzo Piraccini emphasized the event’s growing influence. “Those who have attended Macfrut are well aware of how the event has taken off since the Covid period, also thanks to our collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE),” he said.

“The synergy between the 42nd edition of Macfrut and the 54th edition of Fieravicola has enabled us to create a true agri-food hub capable of attracting operators from all over the world.”

According to Piraccini, Italy’s fruit and vegetable sector is a key economic pillar. “Macfrut is the showcase of Italy’s fruit and vegetable supply chain, a cornerstone sector for our country, worth €19 billion (US$21.60 billion), rising to over €60 billion (US$68.23 billion) when considering the entire supply chain.”

“And the supply chain is precisely the strength of Italy’s fruit and vegetable system, which has found in Macfrut its ideal showcase, representing every link from seed to table.”

ICE representative Maurizio Forte noted the agency’s increasing involvement. “ICE has been a strategic partner of Macfrut for several years. Together with the fair, we manage the incoming of international operators and promotional activities in foreign markets to raise awareness of this event,” he said.

“This year, we brought 380 delegates for both Macfrut and Fieravicola; four editions ago, they were about a tenth of that number.”

Focus on food and innovation

One major attraction this year is The Healthy Food Show, which brings together chefs, scientists, and 11 well-known personalities from sports and entertainment.

The talks will focus on how dietary choices affect health and well-being. Attendees will sample new fruit and vegetable products with high nutritional value.

The event also features three international symposiums: one on biotechnology tools in horticulture, one dedicated to potatoes, and another on Mediterranean aromatic and medicinal plants.

More than 300 experts and researchers from countries including Egypt and Namibia are expected to speak at the sessions.

Egypt takes the spotlight as the Partner Country, represented by 40 companies. Lazio, the Partner Region, is showcasing its certified fruit and vegetable products.

Other highlights include a Biosolutions zone focused on natural crop inputs, an area dedicated to berries, and Acqua Campus, which presents water-saving methods in farming.

New this year is Romagna Business Matching, a networking event organized by Confindustria Romagna. It offers local and international companies a chance to build new partnerships through B2B meetings.

As Macfrut continues through the week, stakeholders from across continents will explore trade, technology, and sustainability with the shared goal of improving global agriculture.

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