Kortrijk Xpo and Belgapom have jointly decided to postpone INTERPOM|PRIMEURS for November 28-30, 2021, at Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium. Although the Belgian government decided that trade fairs could be organized once again from September 1, 2020, provided they comply with measures as currently applicable to commerce, a growing number of exhibitors have indicated that November 2020 is too early to take optimum advantage of the revival of economic activity. The management / head offices located abroad have also stressed the existence of a prohibition on national and international commercial travel, which could interfere with the participation in trade fairs and visits.

“At the moment, businesses in the potato sector are mainly preoccupied with reorganizing themselves as they restart operations,” the organizers said in a press release.

The previous edition of INTERPOM had 326 exhibitors and 19,500 visitors from 49 countries. The international character of INTERPOM, the central role of the trade fair as a congenial meeting place for potato professionals, the many tasting sessions, the intensive preparation time for an event of this scope and the uncertainty regarding international travel – all these factors were taken into account by the organization in the decision to move the trade show to November 2021, in the interests of all stakeholders, the statement points out.

Marc van Herreweghe, chairman of Belgapom said: “Exceptional times require exceptional decisions. The potato chain does not shrink from its responsibility even as we face these difficult times. As sector federation, we will, of course, continue to fully support INTERPOM and we look forward to the next edition in November 2021.”

Romain Cools, Secretary of Belgapom, added: “By definition, the potato chain is a sector in which personal contacts at both national and international levels are vitally important for all the operators involved. INTERPOM is much more than a trade fair; it is also an international meeting place for thousands of potato professionals. If INTERPOM is not able to guarantee these personal contacts for Belgian and international visitors, it seems only responsible to postpone the fair by a year. I am convinced that the November 2021 edition, more than ever, will be a building block for a strong, dynamic and sustainable Belgian and European potato chain.”

From 2022, INTERPOM will then resume its biennial rotation in even years at Kortrijk Xpo. In anticipation of its 2021 edition, from November, INTERPOM will be running regular INTERPOM webinars, focusing on innovations and market evolutions in the chain.