Grüne Woche 2025 officially opened
German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir and his EU counterpart Christophe Hansen spoke at the opening of the 89th Grüne Woche in favour of tackling challenges together.
Dr Mario Tobias, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Messe Berlin GmbH, described Grüne Woche as a ‘burning glass for pressing industry issues’ at the opening in the City Cube on Thursday evening, 16 January 2025. For 1,500 exhibitors from almost 60 countries, the trade fair is an important test market for new products, from vegan to vegetarian to traditional.
For Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, Grüne Woche is an integral part of the German capital with almost a hundred years of history. 36 million people have visited the fair since it was founded in 1926. Like Berlin, it stands for tradition and the future in equal measure and is a flagship for a cosmopolitan city.
Christophe Hansen, the new EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasised the important economic role of agriculture for the rural economy. In order to offer young farmers a perspective, Brussels is currently working on a vision for the future development of the sector, taking into account climate change and appropriate value creation. The competitiveness of European products is essential for this. At the same time, the Luxembourger promised a noticeable reduction in bureaucracy. Farmers should be able to spend more time in the field than in the office.
Joachim Rukwied, President of the German Farmers' Association (DBV), also called for this in his speech. He called for a fundamental political restart. In order to give people more confidence again, a clear political compass is needed, as well as decisions that the majority of society supports. Domestic farmers ensure food security: a guarantee for political and social stability. They should fulfil this task in harmony with climate protection without losing their competitiveness.
For Dr Christian von Boetticher, Chairman of the Board of the Federation of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE), the focus at Grüne Woche is on having fun alongside political debates. The love of high-quality food unites producers and guests.
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir emphasised the importance of compromises, which are necessary for a sustainable agricultural and food industry despite conflicting interests. An international meeting such as the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) with 70 agriculture ministers from all over the world paves the way for good cooperation, including across national borders. Despite foreign imports, sensitive agricultural sectors must be protected. Özdemir also urged for European origin labelling.
A cappella songs by the Berlin quartet Männerwirtschaft provided a musical backdrop to the opening. The reception that followed gave guests plenty of opportunity to network.
