PREPARATIONS for this year’s 104th Harare Agricultural Show have gathered momentum with atleast 50 percent of the 780 stands have been booked, a Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) official has said.
The show will run from August 22 to 30 2014 under the theme, ‘Sustaining and Transforming Agricultural Growth’ and will be held at the traditional Exhibition Park.
The spacious venue for the showcase has 25 hectares that offers different stands for commercial, industrial and agricultural exhibitions.
In an interview this week, ZAS spokesperson, Heather Madombwe, said much of the practical work for the exhibition had been completed.
She said they were only left with registrations for more exhibitors although most of them have confirmed participation.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage as both local and foreign companies have indicated their willingness to take part at the show,” she said.
“We are now geared up for the event and we are ready to go.”
Madombwe said the agricultural showcase has created more space to accommodate new companies who wish to market their products at the major event.
“Our stands bookings are currently at 52 percent,” said Madombwe.
“We are still taking bookings and space is still available so those new companies who feel they want to be exposed they can still get stands.
“Allocations are still being given to the new space.”
Madombwe said they were expecting an increase in foreign exhibitors as most of them have shown interest to participate at this year’s event.
“We have had a lot of interest from foreign exhibitors at the moment but most bookings start in August, so we are looking at different companies like the Iranians,” she said.
“In the dressage section we always have foreign exhibitors; we have foreign competitors from South Africa, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Lesotho so we look forward to those every year.
“We also hope that this year we will have more competitors to follow through.”
Last year the show ran concurrently with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) Summit in Victoria Falls and some exhibitors failed to participate at the main exhibition as it was impossible for them to exhibit at both functions.
Madombwe said they were expecting exhibitors who did not participate at last year’s edition due to the co-hosting of the UNWTO by Zimbabwe and Zambia to grace this year’s occasion.
“At least we are starting on an earlier point and we are really filling up spaces differently in terms of timing,” she said.
This year, the annual event has added a cultural fete which is aimed at showcasing the country’s traditional values as a way of educating youngsters about local traditional morals.
The fete that is targeting school children would be held on the opening day.
Some exhibitors have already started preparing their stands with the bulk of them expected to start during the first week of August.
At least over 150 000 people are expected at this year’s exhibition.