Farm tech suppliers seek Asean harvest
THE COMPANY behind a major European agriculture exhibition has its sights set on Asean as a prime market for the continent’s farm technology and as a base to expand its own brand.
Sima, which is best known for its showcase event in Paris that attracts participants from around the world, will stage an Asean edition of its agricultural show in Bangkok in September.
Jean-Hugues Barsot, key account manager of Sima-Sima Asean-Sima Sipsa (Africa), said the decision some years ago to branch out into Southeast Asia reflected the scale of the agricultural sector in the populous region and the potential for technology-driven improvements.
SIMA Paris, also known as the Le Salon International de la Machine Agricole, was first staged 94 years ago as a showcase of farm industry development.
Barsot said Europe’s farm technology might not always fit conditions in other parts of the world; equipment and systems would sometimes need to be adapted for local markets.
“The technology in general in Europe has been developed for large-scale farming,” he said.
“European farm equipment traders and technology developers must realise this point as well as be aware of the pricing for their equipment.”
Accordingly, Barsot said, companies that want to enter the Asean market must produce equipment with the needs of local farmers in mind, taking into account the size of operations and appropriate price levels.
“But overall, Asean has high potential for growth in farming output and for the equipment that supports this,” he said. “That’s why I told our traders that if they want to enter the market, they need to adapt by producing technology which is dedicated to the needs of local farmers there.”
Barsot said European farm producers and distributors recognised this potential and saw the importance of exhibiting their wares in the region.
The Sima Asean show, to held in Bangkok’s Impact complex on September 7-9, will be the third incarnation of the regional exhibition. Some 300 brands will be presented in 13 exhibition sectors.
Sima is fresh organising from the 76th edition of of its flagship exhibition in Paris late last month.
At the Paris event, calls were made for farmers around the world to embrace innovation over the next decade.
Sima director Martine Degremont said the 2017 show presented an opportunity for exhibitors to offer a new perspective on the contribution of farmers over the next 10 years.
The five-day event featured the latest in farm technology and ideas, including a real-time farming weather digital platform that was a winner at the Sima Innovation Awards.
The show also featured farm robotics such as driverless tractors as saw the introduction of a new economic model known as bio-economy. Participants also viewed a “start-up village” aimed at encouraging technological solutions to advance the farming sector.
Much of this technology is expected to be presented at Sima’s Asean show in Bangkok.
Puriwaj Dachum, acting assistant to the president for research at Kasetsart University, concurs with Barsot on the potential for technology developed in Europe to be adapted for use in Thailand and the region.
“This is especially so for digital-based technology which would better inform farmers about farm conditions,” Puriwaj said.
In Thailand, some academic institutions, including Kasetsart, has been working on such projects and have introduced the concept to farmers.
Howevr, Puriwaj cautioned that a knowledge gap between the two regions may hold back the full potential of technology transfers from Europe.
