The province’s MEC for economic opportunities, Alan Winde, encouraged the Mega Group to host such an event in Bredasdorp since the Western Cape already has a strong international focus.
This was according to Orton King, Mega Group’s executive director. He said Winde also indicated that the Western Cape government would like to become a partner in such an event.
“It would be ideal to create more infrastructure for hosting such an international expo, while more marketing will also be required. International visitors can either fly to Cape Town, while the possibility also exists to get landing rights at the Air Force’s international landing strip in the vicinity of Bredasdorp,” said King.
Last year, 26 000 visitors attended the four-day Mega Week, and there were exhibitors from Argentina and some of the Brics countries.
Highlights on Thursday, 17 September, will include the following debates and panel discussions:
- Increased wheat production in the Cape Provinces and the rest of South Africa (Grain SA).
- Agricultural financing in Africa (Dr Cobus Oberholster from BKB).
- Managing the economy in chaotic times (Dawie Roodt, chief economist of the Efficient Group).
- Renewable energy (Prof Wikus van Niekerk from Stellenbosch University).
Farmers, suppliers, organised agriculture and value chain stakeholders are invited to attend and to participate from the floor.
The 2015 National Ayrshire Championships and auction as well as various regional livestock championships will take place from 16 – 19 September. In addition, the very first national Mutton Merino Super Ram Championships will be held by the SA Mutton Merino Breeder’s Society.
On 18 September the Percheron Horse Breeder’s Society’s second Western Cape auction will be held in the Agruma Auditorium at Mega Park.
