Minister Breen leads delegation to largest animal production show in France
Pat Breen, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection led an Enterprise Ireland trade visit to SPACE (Salon des Productions Animales – Carrefour Europeen) tradeshow, the largest animal production show this week.
The trade visit focused on promoting the innovation capabilities of Irish agri-tech companies in areas including connected agriculture, the use of data in agriculture and progress in the area of automation and robotics.
The trade visit also maximised business opportunities for Enterprise Ireland client companies to pitch their products to an audience of farmers, influencers and potential buyers in the specially convened ‘Enterprise Ireland Innovation Area’. The companies participating were; H2Ozone, True North Technologies, Moocall, Herdwatch, Dairymaster, Keenan and Wakely Engineering.
Minister Breen also officially opened the Technology in Agriculture panel discussion which examined how to increase collaboration between Ireland and France with the objective of making improvements to farm production in both countries.
Speaking on his arrival at SPACE Minister Breen said; “France presents good growth opportunities for Irish companies across all sectors and is already a significant consumer of Irish goods. In 2016 Enterprise Ireland client company exports to France were in excess of €902m. SPACE provides a magnificent platform for Irish agri-tech companies to showcase their solution offerings, encouraging French buyers to rely on Irish innovative products and services as a source of advantage. This helps to further improve Ireland’s position internationally as a source of innovation”.
This is the 31st year of SPACE which is now the 2nd largest global event for professionals of animal production and is billed as an unmissable event for all breeders and suppliers of animal production. Enterprise Ireland hosted an Innovation Arena, the programme for which included;
- Pitches from seven Enterprise Ireland agri-tech clients to potential customers,
- A Technology in Agriculture panel which was addressed by Minister Breen followed by a short talk by Kieran Furlong, Finistere on the Agtech landscape both in France and Ireland and the challenges & opportunities for the Agtech sector in France presented by Jean-Baptiste Cuisinier, Président/CEO of CapAgro, France.
- A networking area where Enterprise Ireland facilitated introductions between Irish client companies and French agri-tech decision-makers as well as potential partners and distributors in France
- Business – to- business meetings between potential distributors and partners co-ordinated by the Enterprise Europe Network.
Marina Donohoe, Northern Europe and UK Director, Enterprise Ireland said; “There are more than 120 Enterprise Ireland client companies active in the agricultural machinery and technologies sector contributing €4.1Bn to Ireland’s GDP and supporting 250,000 jobs in Ireland. We are keen to use SPACE as an opportunity to promote the Irish advantage and Irish agri-tech innovation to potential French customers. Enterprise Ireland’s Eurozone strategy is focused on supporting our client companies to diversify into new markets as a way for them to build scale and expand their reach with their products and services as part of our response to the UK’s decision to leave the EU”.
