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Agrotech 30 years ago; the first expo was held in November 1995!
The preparation of Agrotech was carried out by the team of the Kielce Trade Fair Centre (the first name of the Targi Kielce Exhibition and Congress Centre), orchestrated by Kamil Perz, the Agrotech project director, in conjunction with the Agricultural Equipment Trade Company Agroma, the Institute of Construction, Mechanisation and Electrification of Agriculture in Warsaw (today the Institute of Technology and Life Sciences - State Research Institute) and the Voivodeship (today the Świętokrzyskie) Agricultural Advisory Centre in Modliszewice.
Agroma Director Tadeusz Bartos brought as many as 30 companies to the first edition; when interviewed by the Gazeta Kielecka Daily of 6 November 1995, he said: - Now Kielce farmers receive the best that the global business has to offer. The company's offer includes over five hundred types of machines and approximately 80 thousand parts.
The articles in Echo Dnia Daily and Słowo Ludu Daily read that expo stands with machines, feed and seed material were besieged. Ursus, Zetor and motor-vans, i.e. a combination of a moped and a trailer, were all the rage. The Zetor 5320 model cost 350 million PLN. The goat enclosure prepared by Kozia Farma from Oblęgorek was a hit.
See articles and photos from Echo Dnia, Słowo Ludu and Gazeta Kielecka dailies from November 1995!
What was important and attractive was the knowledge provided by representatives of agricultural organizations, agricultural advisory centres and institutions; a seminar "21st century agrotechnologies today, new machines, ecological technologies, energy-saving food production" was held within the scope of the expo.
– Many farmers attending numerous expo asked us for opinions on a given machine, they also needed advice on cultivation technology and animal breeding. Knowledge was very necessary and in great demand, also because of the economic dimension. It was the time when every penny count; thus we have published newsletters describing the costs of operating agricultural machinery. Farmers received a cost estimate, which was very helpful for them – recalls Dr. Andrzej Seliga from the Institute of Technology and Life Sciences - National Research Institute, present at Agrotech since 1995.
The expo stand of the Provincial (today Świętokrzyskie) Agricultural Advisory Centre in Modliszewice was also crowded - the specialists shared their knowledge about the latest cultivation technologies and plant species.
Jarosław Mostowski, long-time director of ŚODR, admits that he participated in the search for a new combine harvester that could be placed in the expo halls. - Of course the plan worked out, probably at the last minute. We also brought farmers to see the machines we arranged bus transport. Farmers wanted to come and they wanted to buy these machines. Although, as we know, not always did they have money - he says.
The Jubilee - 30th International Fair of Agricultural Techniques AGROTECH is held from 14 to 16 March 2025 at Targi Kielce.
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