GreenTech, a global platform for the horticulture industry currently taking place this week in Amsterdam, has announced it will launch GreenTech Americas in partnership with Tarsus Mexico and RAI Amsterdam. The new event will take place March 24-26, 2020, in Querétaro, Mexico, the heartland for agriculture production in the country.

“Protected horticulture is the fastest growing area for agriculture production in Mexico,” says Paul St. Amour, vice president Latin America for Tarsus Mexico. “The growers have a desire to upgrade their production processes with better greenhouse technology, including protection from the elements, irrigation, nutrients and breeding issues. With the U.S. and Canada as their largest markets, more buyers in those countries are demanding consistent deliveries and quality.”

RAI, organizers of GreenTech Amsterdam, is looking to expand its footprint with regional shows. The Americas, and specifically Mexico, was a perfect place to start, notes St. Amour.

“We believe that with GreenTech Amsterdam as a global platform, we should reach out to the emerging markets in the world,” said Mariska Dreschler, director of horticulture for GreenTech. “We need a regional platform in the western part of the world to meet the regional needs of the growers.”

Mexico is a very important global agricultural market, ranking sixth worldwide in protected agriculture with a surface of nearly 41,000 hectares, and with a production value of around $3 billion from nearly 3 million tons of exports. The three main crops are tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Tarsus Mexico’s current portfolio is varied; this is the company’s first show in the agriculture industry, but it has a long history in the food and beverage/restaurant category, and currently organizes Exporestaurantes. 

“Expanding into this growing sector makes sense,” says St. Amour. “While it is an agriculture show, it is also a technology or production show, and we have many expos in the industrial manufacturing sphere.”

He adds, “Furthermore, it is a deepening of our JV with the RAI, with whom we currently do two other JVs [Aquatech Mexico and Intertraffic Mexico] . So all in all, it is perfect addition to our portfolio.”

According to Tarsus Mexico officials, the goal for GreenTech Americas is the same for any of its shows: to create a professional B2B business environment, where the Mexican growers can learn about all the technologies available to increase their production.

“We see GreenTech Americas as an important teaching mechanism for Mexico,” says St. Amour. “It will also allow for more knowledge exchange between the industry suppliers from Mexico and around the world with Mexican, Central American, U.S. and Canadian growers.”