“Deep regret” over Agritechnica 2022 cancellation due to Covid-19 surge

Agritechnica 2019, Hanover.

In light of rapidly rising cases of Covid-19 worldwide, alongside associated restrictions on travel and official regulations, the DLG (German Agricultural Society), VDMA Agricultural Machinery Association, and Agritechnica’s exhibitor advisory board have jointly concluded that the exhibition will not go ahead in 2022. 

Organisers said the health and safety of visitors, exhibitors, partners, members and staff is the top priority. 

The next Agritechnica trade fair will take place from 12–18th November 2023 in Hanover, Germany.

Agritechnica in spring 2022 would have been the international venue for agriculture and agribusiness. Professional exchange, networking and innovations should have been the focus, delivering the necessary impulses for a sustainable agriculture. Both the exhibition and technical program had already been published and had met with great interest among visitors to the world’s leading trade fair.

“No longer possible”

DLG CEO Dr Reinhard Grandke said: “With regret, we have observed that, following the deteriorating pandemic situation in recent weeks and the resulting current official regulations, a justified exceptional situation has arisen, under which the trouble-free execution of Agritechnica is no longer possible. 

“Together with the VDMA Agricultural Machinery Association and the trade fair’s exhibitor advisory board, and following many discussions with both exhibitors and visitors, we have therefore decided to cancel next year’s Agritechnica. 

“We have made this decision respecting our responsibilities towards the health and safety of all. We deeply regret the cancellation. Many of our exhibitors, partners, visitors and members, as well as the entire DLG team, have already invested in extensive preparations. 

“Our focus is now on preparing Agritechnica 2023 as well as the other national and international DLG events and trade fairs that are scheduled for next year.”

VDMA Agricultural Machinery Association managing director Dr Bernd Scherer added: “We all deeply regret that Agritechnica 2022 cannot take place after all – on the one hand, because the entire industry was already looking forward to its ‘leading trade fair’ with great anticipation, and on the other hand, because farmers currently stand to benefit from the numerous agricultural machinery innovation impulses in a way rarely seen before. 

“After all, innovative machines, equipment and software tools make a significant contribution to sustainable and future-proof agricultural machinery production processes. Being able to present our extensive portfolio of innovations to a broad industry audience live on an international stage is and remains the gold standard. 

“We, as agricultural machinery experts, therefore stand by our world’s leading trade fair and are already looking forward to a successful restart of Agritechnica in Hanover in 2023.”

Agritechnica Innovation Award winners announced

Agritechnica project manager Freya von Czettritz said the decision to cancel was particularly difficult because many companies specifically targeted the trade fair to present their innovations.

The winners of its leading innovation award for international agricultural machinery have therefore been announced as planned. One gold and 16 silver medals were awarded for exceptional innovations and can be viewed here.

Awards will be officially presented next year.

Digital content still available

The additional digital complement to Agritechnica, which was launched in November 2021, will continue to be available as planned on the digital platform DLG-Connect (www.dlg-connect.com) until the end of March 2022. 

Visitors to the platform have the opportunity to learn, free-of-charge, about current offerings and information from agricultural machinery manufacturers, as well as take part in digital events and network with companies and farmers.