The fruit and agricultural trade fair is a hit with its top-notch lecture program and a wide range of products for fruit growers, farmers, and distillers – Federal and state economics ministers engage in discussions at eye level with industry representatives and consumers
Friedrichshafen – Fruchtwelt Bodensee 2024 featured a wide variety of high-quality products from 350 exhibiting companies, the expert and informative program of the Lake Constance Fruit Growing Days, and respectful exchange of opinions: The fruit and agricultural trade fair in Friedrichshafen attracted 13,250 visitors (previous year 13,120) from 36 countries, providing new momentum and facilitating dialog between the agricultural sector and the policymaking sphere while also strengthening sector cohesion. The visit by Minister of Agriculture for Baden-Württemberg Peter Hauk was met with a silent but impressive protest by young farmers. The exhibitors at the fair appeared to have made a strong impression on Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir during his visit on Saturday.
Federal Minister Özdemir: I always enjoy venturing out of the ministry and returning with new knowledge. While engaging in discussions and touring the trade fair, I had the opportunity to witness the remarkable innovation within the fruit-growing sector. What you have to say is important, and I am delighted to have you put forward your position to me. Sustainable fruit growing should be economically viable both now and in 20 or 50 years’ time. I will continue to work in service of this goal.”
Klaus Wellmann, Managing Director of Messe Friedrichshafen, and Project Manager Sharon Kommer provided the following positive assessment after three days at the trade fair: “Fruchtwelt Bodensee’s key strength is its ability to offer a diverse and high-quality range of products from exhibitors, complemented by a technically sound lecture program. From new and resistant fruit varieties to plant protection through to the latest trends in machinery and equipment, visitors get an excellent overview of the market.” Sharon Kommer explains: “Because of the pandemic, Fruchtwelt Bodensee was only able to be held digitally in 2022. As a result, we made the decision last year to hold the event outside of the usual two-year cycle, which led to a consistent number of visitors attending the current edition. In many personal discussions over the last three days, we received very positive feedback from exhibitors. Familiar as well as new companies have already confirmed their participation in 2026, and we are feeling very optimistic about what lies ahead. We are confident that Fruchtwelt Bodensee will continue to grow in significance as a key international industry gathering that takes place every two years.” Petra Holstein, who serves as the Commercial Director at Arnold Holstein, shared a similar perspective: “This year we had the opportunity to welcome and support numerous existing customers at our booth. The trade fair was a good platform for informing interested parties about distillery equipment, and I think that the familiar biennial schedule will continue to benefit us in the future.”
Michael Neumüller, owner and grower of the Bavarian Fruit Growing Center (Bayerisches Obstbauzentrum), expressed great satisfaction with his participation at Fruchtwelt Bodensee. “Our focus is on cultivating new varieties of apples, pears, and plums, and we had an exceptionally positive response this year. A significant number of private individuals stopped by on Friday, and there were also many commercial fruit growers on the weekend looking for rarities and specialties for their farm stores. We are astonished that demand is so good, especially considering the generally low morale in the industry. Farmers don’t just want to look at the fruit in a brochure or on the Internet; they want to see it in person and taste it to determine if it’s suitable for their marketing needs. There’s no substitute for face-to-face interaction, and an event like this trade fair provides the perfect opportunity for it.”
Newly established businesses showcased their products and services in the Start-Up Area. Among them was Peter Telgmann, founder of EisBerger: “It was our first visit to Fruchtwelt Bodensee. We are extremely pleased with the outcome of our discussions and anticipate a significant increase in our customer base over the next six months. Our customers were satisfied and enjoyed themselves, just as we did.”Dr. Michael Müller, Managing Director and founder of Pflanzentheke, was also pleased with how his company was represented at the fair: “The contacts we were able to make at Fruchtwelt Bodensee met all of my expectations in terms of quality. Despite or possibly due to the fact that we showcased vegetables at our booth instead of fruit, we were warmly welcomed and received a great deal of positive feedback. The location of Messe Friedrichshafen is fantastic, and I can easily envision incorporating it into our trade fair lineup.”
Andreas Ganal, Managing Director of Obstregion Bodensee e.V. and co-organizer of the Lake Constance Fruit Growing Days program, is pleased with the outcome: “The visits by our two federal and state ministers of agriculture, along with the strong interest in specialist presentations and the exchange with numerous fruit producers, underscore the significance of Fruchtwelt Bodensee as a crucial component of the fruit industry. We are delighted to observe the creation and maintenance of networks, as well as the significant professional exchange that occurs.”
Dr. Manfred Büchele, Managing Director of the Competence Center for Fruit Cultivation in Bavendorf (Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau in Bavendorf/KOB), is focused on driving research and innovation: “Fruchtwelt Bodensee is a showcase for our capabilities. We were thrilled to demonstrate to our visitors what innovations and modern technology can achieve in fruit cultivation. Even in challenging times, we remain committed to seeking out opportunities, as I firmly believe that we will still be growing high-quality fruit in our region twenty years from now. We are already looking forward to the next event in 2026.”
In accordance with its regular schedule, the next international trade summit for fruit growers, farmers, and distillers is to be held at Lake Constance from February 20 to 22, 2026. Further information is available at: www.fruchtwelt-bodensee.de, https://www.instagram.com/fruchtwelt.bodensee/, and www.farming.plus.
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