The International Agriculture and Food Exhibition in South Korea, Agrex & Food Korea 2014, concluded two weeks ago. A delegation of eight Israeli companies, organized and led by KOISRA, participated and exhibited in the space allocated for Israeli companies.

Held in Jinju, a city in the Southern part of Korea, for the fourth time, the exhibition spanned five days from November 5th to November 9th. This year, the exhibition was officially designated as an Expo due to the participation of international firms and organizations from countries including the Czech Republic, Mongolia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and notably, Israel. The Czech delegation was notably led by the Czech Minister of Agriculture. The Expo featured eight halls with a total of 700 booths, approximately 100 of which were allocated to international exhibitors.

KOISRA, representing the Israeli companies, managed the invitation and accompaniment process. The invitation package offered to the Israeli companies included numerous benefits: a standard booth (3 x 3 meters) with electricity, a printed company sign, a table and chair, hotel accommodations, meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), local flights from Seoul, airport transfers, and translation services, all sponsored by the organizer.

The invited Israeli companies are leaders in their fields, ranging from established firms to startups, including:

  1. Smart Feed Solution: Specializing in the development and manufacture of cattle feed for the dairy and beef industries.
  2. Growing Smart: Offers consultancy, entrepreneurship, and management of complex agricultural projects.
  3. Dorot Control Valves: Manufacturers of gate valves for the water and agriculture sectors.
  4. Gat Fertilizers: Specializes in liquid and solid fertilizers for agriculture.
  5. Aqua Maof: Focuses on fish rearing and nurturing solutions for food production both at sea and on land.
  6. BotanoCap: Develops and manufactures organic pesticides for agriculture.
  7. Catalyst-AgTech: Specializes in insecticides for agriculture with a self-neutralizing mechanism to prevent future land contamination.
  8. Adama: Develops and manufactures protective agricultural products like fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides.

Throughout the Expo, the Israeli companies engaged in numerous meetings with potential partners and clients, facilitated by translators and KOISRA's support. They also visited Korean exhibitors' booths, gaining insights into local products, technological solutions, and forming new business relationships.

The Israeli companies viewed their visit as successful, not only because of the new relationships with potential clients that were established and the reception of orders and requests for quotes but also because they became acquainted with Korean market activities and were exposed to the business potential of this market.

This was the first time an Israeli delegation was invited to participate in an agricultural exhibition in South Korea. The invitation and the unique benefits package were facilitated by KOISRA, in collaboration with the mayor of Jinju and the county governor, who recognized the added value of inviting Israeli companies, known for being leaders in their fields globally.

To leverage this unique invitation and advance the interests of the Israeli agricultural industry, three notable figures were invited to the exhibition: Mr. Shay Feiler, the Commercial Attaché of Israel in Korea; Ms. Deborah Schabes, the Head of The Bi-National Fund for Industrial Research and Development between Israel and Korea (KORIL-RDF); and Prof. Sheenan Harpaz, the Vice President of the Israeli Agricultural Research Organization (Volcani Center). These individuals participated in the opening event of the Expo and the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside other distinguished guests from various countries. They also visited the exhibitors' booths and engaged with representatives of the Korean government, among others.

Following the opening event, a business seminar focused on business and technological cooperation between Israeli and Korean companies within the Korea-Israel fund took place. Mr. Shay Feiler initiated the seminar with an overview of the Israeli industry. He was succeeded by Prof. Harpaz from the Volcani Center, who highlighted Israeli innovations and developments in the agricultural sector. The seminar concluded with Ms. Deborah Schabes discussing the financing options available for joint technological projects between Korean and Israeli companies.

KOISRA accompanied the official visit of Prof. Sheenan Harpaz from The Volcani Center, who explored various exhibition booths and received an overview of the technologies being developed by governmental research institutes in Korea. Furthermore, Prof. Harpaz convened with the Korean National Academy of Agricultural Sciences to discuss enhancing cooperation between the institutes, building on an existing MOU agreement. On the exhibition's third day, a visit was organized to the Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services (GNARES) in Jinju. Here, Prof. Harpaz met with the president of GNARES and toured the institute's facilities and greenhouses. This visit was deemed successful, as it showcased the potential for collaboration between the Volcani Institute and significant research bodies in South Korea, potentially advancing the commercialization of Israeli technologies.

During the Expo, a variety of activities took place, and in the evenings, members of the Israeli delegation enjoyed rich dinner meals complemented by local folklore performances. Both within the Expo and beyond its confines, new business collaborations were formed among the Israeli companies themselves.