Fully booked once again, the exhibition offers an up-to-date overview of market developments, price trends, and innovations across the sector. Under the theme “Growing Resilience in a Changing World”, this year’s event focuses on the resilience and adaptability of the potato industry.
Resilience in a changing world
With 332 exhibitors from 15 countries, INTERPOM will bring together the leading brands in the potato industry. The exhibition covers the entire potato supply chain, from seed potatoes, soil cultivation machinery, potato harvesters and crop protection products to precision agriculture, storage systems, sorting equipment, peeling and cutting machinery, and packaging lines. The trade and marketing of fresh and processed potatoes are also an integral part of the offering.
The previous edition of INTERPOM took place in autumn 2024, when potato growing was particularly profitable and confidence across the sector was high. Two years later, the industry faces a different market dynamic, with abundant supply and low free-market prices for potatoes destined for industrial processing. Both growers and buyers must adapt to changing market conditions. Against this backdrop, INTERPOM has chosen ‘Growing Resilience in a Changing World’ as its theme. The exhibition aims to highlight the resilience of the potato industry: its ability to adapt to changing circumstances and continue to look ahead, even in challenging times.
Exchanging knowledge
INTERPOM is not only an opportunity to discover the latest technologies and solutions, but also a unique platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences and building new professional relationships. It is through conversations and encounters on the exhibition floor that new ideas emerge and collaboration between the various links in the value chain is strengthened. In this way, INTERPOM contributes to a potato sector that tackles tomorrow’s challenges together.
Christophe Vermeulen, CEO Belgapom: “The potato world never stands still, and every new growing season brings its own unique set of circumstances. This year is certainly no exception. On the eve of Interpom 2024, all indicators were pointing in the right direction: the sector was thriving, and confidence was exceptionally high. Twenty-four months later, the landscape looks somewhat different. Geopolitical uncertainty, trade barriers, and significantly increased competition from Asia have disrupted the global potato processing industry.
Extreme weather conditions, reduced crop protection options, and increasingly demanding sustainability requirements have also made potato production more challenging and more expensive. The Belgian processing and trading sectors are facing years of strategic reorientation and, according to some, a genuine reset. Our renowned resilience is being put to the test, and with this edition of Interpom, we want to show that we are embracing that challenge with both hands. We are potatoes. And we are here to stay.”
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Keynotes and panel discussions on the potato of tomorrow
Belgapom, the professional association representing the Belgian potato trade and processing industry, has developed a programme built around three central themes, spread across the three days of the exhibition: the potato of the future, water management and the factory of the future. Each theme explores a different aspect of the potato industry’s resilience and long-term sustainability.
Each day begins with a keynote address by a leading expert in the field. In the afternoon, panel discussions bring together experts to share their insights and explore in greater depth the challenges, developments and potential solutions facing the entire supply chain.
