New venue for the CAC Agrochem Show a fitting home for a global event

After finally outgrowing the Everbright Centre in Shanghai, this year the CAC Agrochem Show, now by far the largest event in the Agrochemical calendar, moved across the busy Huangpu River into the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The four exhibition halls contained nearly 800 exhibitors who found their booths busy with thousands of delegates over the three days. This year the exhibition housed a new international area which featured many companies exhibiting for the first time. Ma Chunyan, Vice Chairman of the Chemical Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) explained to International Pest Control “It seems that our growing collaboration with the Indian industry has brought many companies to exhibit for the first time at the CAC Agrochem Show”, she went on to highlight that there were many exhibitors too from Australia, Europe and Japan.

The figures around the agrochemical industry in China are sometimes hard to comprehend. In 2012 the industry increased production to 3.55 million tonnes of product, representing a further 19% growth on 2011. Exports accounted for US$2.86 billion representing a growth of 18%. But it isn’t all “one-way” trade. China imported US$ 590 million of product, an increase of 21% too, such is the domestic market growth.

China is well aware of the challenges ahead. Still short of capability to develop new products, Chinese companies still compete fiercely for the market of products with similar quality and characteristics. However, the focus for the future is clear, new patented inventions, improved formulations, increased marketing and entering new more highly regulated market such as the European Union. Indeed a gradual transformation from active ingredients to formulated products and brands. This focus was recognized within the content of the CAC Agrochem Show conference and seminar program which covered development of pesticide industry, technologies and application, Beyond-Agriculture, bio-agrochemical and pesticide security management. Between these five events over 500 delegates listened and debated with experts from both China and around the globe.

It is without doubt that the largest Agrochemical Exhibition in the world will continue to grow. It has already become the meeting point of the global agrochemical industry. The CAC Agrochem Show is a window on 21st Century China, but it is so much more. It is the open door to the future of the Agrochemical industry. Put a date in your diary to come in and take a look at the 2014 event.