Annual Agro Expo in Bogota

The annual Agro Expo in Bogota is the most important agricultural trade show each year in Colombia and lasts 11 days (much like the Toronto Winter fair and similar events across Canada). This year the show ran from July 11 to 21, and I visited last week Wednesday on invitation of one of the Canadians who started an export/import business 4 years ago in Colombia.

Nicolas Mendoza, a Canadian-Colombian who lived 7 years in Halifax before coming back to Colombia recently, picked me up in his 60 year old VW "beetle"... what an old-timer....one of these was my first car 36 years ago...sweet memories... and here they still keep them on the road...

At the expo the Canadian government organized a significant pavillon with expositors from Canada and local representatives for Canadian exporters. The Colombian Canadian Chamber of Commerce plays an important role during the organization of such commercial events.

Cameron Glass who invited me at the event, his Colombian business partner (whom he met years ago in Holland of all places, both being active in the flower business) and Nicolas Mendoza in the middle.

Lots of cattle business, an important industry in Colombia. Just like at the shows in Canada, there were many competitions taking place....

The largest public University in Colombia had a number of stands displaying their programs as well as some very innovative applied research projects...

The Brazilians were very much present based on their huge agriculture sector. They had a nicely designed and impressive pavillon on their own...

And of course the Argentinians have to be at these shows. One of their companies exports fruit packing machines, an essential investment for even smaller scale agri-businesses...

I noticed a group of students from SENA and they referred me to a stand of SENA of one of their provincial agricultural training centers. They were hosted in the French pavillon where they promoted fair trade and eco certified products.....!

A few Colombian cowboys drove around on beautiful work-horses...

And there were many mechanized horse power machines on display as well....

A final photo of the Expo with Tarik Khan, one of the important Canadian colleagues at the local Embassy who also supports our EFE program. Here he addresses guests at a reception co-hosted by the Embassy and the Colombian Canadian Chamber of Commerce. An interesting day....

The coming three weeks no posts. I will be in Canada doing some work from home as well as having some family time in a cottage. More again in August...