Agricultural shows and events

Agricultural shows and events are a time to celebrate the harvest and the achievements in different sectors which make up agriculture. They are a time when people involved in the agricultural value chain meet up again, network and review the latest technologies and trends. A number of these events occur in South Africa, and we have listed many of these.

The chapter is in no way the full picture, and the reader is referred to the agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad and Farmer’s Weekly, or their websites to find a calendar of the latest shows. Visit www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za.

Find details of many shows, mostly in the Western Cape, at www.agriexpo.co.za. Some of these, in turn, have their own websites e.g. www.swartlandskou.co.za.

Some agricultural role players like the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) keep their members informed of agricultural events through their newsletters or on their websites.

Our stall at NAMPO a few minutes after sunrise. The first waves of visitors happen already at this time. If you, the exhibitor, are outside buying coffee or taking in the view you will miss them.

Some role players
Shows and conferences
Some international shows
Websites and publications

Some role players

African Agri Council Tel: 021 700 4300 www.agricouncil.org Responsible for events like African Agri Investment Indaba and e-Agri East Africa Summit (Kenya).
Agri-Expo Tel: 021 975 4440/1/2/3 www.agriexpo.co.za Agri-Expo is an agricultural organisation which runs numerous shows and events e.g. the South African Cheese Festival, From The Earth, various equestrian and breeder events and championships.
Agri Letaba Tel: 015 307 2725 www.agriletaba.co.za This is a farmer’s association, affiliated to Agri SA. It runs the Letaba Expo (find details on the website)
Agribusiness Development Corporation Tel: 028 272 9071 www.agri4africa.com
Agricultural Tours Worldwide Tel: 082 447 7718 www.agritoursandtravel.com Included in their agricultural tours are visits to international and national shows e.g. Nampo and Allfresh.
CADEK Media Tel: 021 854 4700 www.cadek.co.za See Agriworks under next heading
Compex Exhibitions Tel: 011 234 0604 www.compex.co.za
Du Plessis, Marianna africa [at] caxton.co.za Conference organiser and tour guide to international shows like Fruit Logistica Berlin, Germany; ExpoAgro Argentina; SIMA international agribusiness agricultural trade show, Paris; and Nampo Agribusiness Tour, Bothaville.
Exhibitions and Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) Tel: 011 805 7272 www.exsa.co.za
Grain SA (GSA) Tel: 08600 47246 www.grainsa.co.za Responsible for Nampo Harvest Day and Nampo Cape (see under next heading).
Mega Events Tel: 021 863 1803 www.mega-events.co.za Mega Events runs the Agri Mega week in the Western Cape.
Royal Agricultural Society of Natal Tel: 033 345 6274 www.royalshow.co.za They host the Royal Show – “South Africa’s oldest and largest mixed agricultural event” – and the Sunday Tribune Garden Show, the country’s “largest horticultural event”.
SPIntelligent Tel: 021 700 3500 www.spintelligent.com

Shows and conferences

Africa’s Big Seven, “is the only food and drink trade show in Africa to bring together hundreds of global suppliers with motivated buyers from each segment of the buying community”. Visit www.africabig7.com. In 2019, Africa’s Big 7 is to be incorporated along with the Hotel Show and SAITEX in the Africa Trade Week 2019, along with the associated conferences and workshops
African Investment Indaba, Agri Trade Congress Africa and other events on the continent – see www.agricouncil.org
African Livestock Trade Fair was held in Parys, Free State, for the first time in 2016. Visit www.afridome.co.za.
Agri-Expo Livestock http://livestock.org.za, a “a world-class showcase of the South African livestock and dairy industries”
The Gauteng Provincial Government began the Agri Food Fest in October 2017. Call 010 020 1865/3574.
Agri Gauteng Expo is held at Onderstepoort. For more details, see www.facebook.com/agrigpekspo
Agri Mega Week (Bredasdorp) focuses on the winter grain, sheep and wool, and dairy industries. Visit www.mega-events.co.za.
Find out about the AgriWorks Agricultural Expo at www.agriworks.co.za.
The African Livestock Trade Fair (ALFA) Expo at the Afridome, Parys – see http://alfaexpo.com
The annual Bathurst Agricultural Show hosts exhibitors from all over the Eastern Cape. Read about it at www.bathurstshow.co.za.
Bloemfontein Show – visit www.bloemskou.co.za.
From The Earth – visit www.fromtheearth.co.za and find Agri Expo details under the previous heading.
George Agricultural Show http://georgelandbouskou.co.za
The Jacaranda Agricultural Show happens in Pretoria. See www.jacarandashow.co.za.
KragDag www.kragdag.co.za Previously an energy and renewables show in Pretoria, from 2019 it includes agriculture.
The Mpumalanga Show includes an agricultural component. See www.thempushow.co.za.
The NAMPO Harvest Day is an annual agricultural show, reputedly the largest in the southern hemisphere, held over four days at the NAMPO Park near Bothaville. Find Grain SA’s details under the previous heading and visit www.nampo.co.za. For accommodation (book early!), call the Maize Capital Forum – 056 515 3042 – or the Viljoenskroon Tourism Forum at 056 343 3992. Also visit www.bothaville.info.
Nampo Cape is an extension of the event held near Bothaville. Find information on www.grainsa.co.za.
The Nedbank Eston Show in KwaZulu-Natal has been growing in popularity as an agricultural show. Visit www.theestonshow.co.za for more.
PMA Fresh Connections for the fresh produce supply chain. Find information at www.pma.com.
To find out about the Reitz Bieliemieliefees visit www.bieliemielie.co.za.
Royal Show (PMB) – find the Royal Agricultural Society of Natal details under previous heading.
South African Cheese Festival – find Agri Expo details under heading 2 and visit www.cheesefestival.co.za.
Find out more about the South African Large Herds Conference at www.largeherds.co.za.
Sunday Tribune Garden Show – find “Royal Agricultural Society of Natal” under previous heading.
The Swartland Show in Moorreesburg http://swartlandskou.co.za
The Vryburg Show in the North West is billed “as SA’s 3rd largest agricultural show, and the biggest cattle show in the country”. Visit http://vryburgshow.co.za or call 053 927 3945.