Fruit Logistica 2019

•••2••• Messewelten First “Start-up Day”at Fruit Logistica Focus on digital farming, ag-tech and supply chain management – slogan “Disrupt Agriculture” D ebut in Berlin: “Disrupt Agri- culture” is the slogan for the first Fruit Logistica Start-up Day taking place on Friday, 8 February 2019. The Start-up Day focuses on visionary topics: digital farming, ag-tech and supply chain manage- ment. More productivity Start-ups specialising in digital farming are using digital solutions to optimise agricultural processes and enable more efficient and sustainable operations. A start- up based in Israel, for example, aims at increasing farm produc- tivity through the extensive use of agricultural data and advanced technologies. The company has developed a management tool for businesses in the agroecosystem. Attacking insects The progress in digital transfor- mation is also being exploited by a Dutch AgTech start-up. Small drones autonomously attack flying insects and pests. With this solution, harmful insects, such as moths, are detected and eliminated. This prevents further spread of the pest, reduces the need for (bio) insecticides, and minimises the work involved in plant protection. Reducing the workload is also one of the ob- jectives of supply chain manage- ment. An American start-up helps companies to increase produce consistency and automate qual- ity control by using hyperspectral imaging technology to non-inva- sively detect properties such as freshness, ripeness or pH, and the presence foreign objects in real- time. At the same time, it optimis- es the transport process. Optimising transport operations Furthermore, a New Zealand start-up also focuses on optimis- ing transport operations. The company combines powerful software and robust hardware to offer customers better visibil- ity, transparency and control over the supply chain. The devices are attached directly to the shipment, not the vehicle, so the customer can access real-time location and temperature data while goods are in transit. The Start-up Day event theme “Disrupt Agriculture” ad- dresses the numerous short- and long-term challenges facing the agricultural industry in the fu- ture. Experts estimate that the global population will reach close to 10 billion people by 2050. To meet the continuing demand for agricultural products, growers will need to increase production. They will have to become more efficient, agile and flexible. The worldwide digital transformation also offers the agricultural sector many possible solutions for grow- ing fruits and vegetables. New ideas in this relatively young disci- pline are often innovative start-up companies. Twenty of them will present their disruptive industry solutions every ten minutes on Start-up Day. “We created Start- up Day as a unique, future-fo- cused platform for the industry,” explains Madlen Miserius, Fruit Logistica Senior Product Manag- er. “The idea is to drive innovative change forward across the value chain. As the leading trade fair for the global fresh produce trade, Fruit Logistica is a perfect venue because this is where all the key industry players come together.” Background Hall 9 will serve as a networking hub for start-ups and established companies across the value chain. The start-up area is the place to be for anyone interested in mak- ing contact and conducting busi- ness with start-up companies. Highlights include the Start-up Stage, where young enterprises present their pioneering business concepts, technologies and vi- sions of the future. All start-ups working on the devel- opment of smart solutions aimed at improving efficiency and sus- tainability in the fresh produce industry are invited to apply for Start-up Day. The main focus is on B2B business models and innova- tive technologies in ag-tech, digi- tal farming, crop science, posthar- vest technology, logistics/supply chain management, packaging and packing technology. Last year, Fruit Logistica – the leading trade fair for the international fruit and vegetable industry, drawed some 78,000 visitors. Photo: Messe Berlin Fresh ideas for the fresh produce trade at Fruit Logistica: young, creative and innovative companies will showcase their latest solutions. Photo: Messe Berlin