Berlin, Germany (Gastrosofie). If you’re looking for a huge farm combined with a lavish delicatessen, this is the place to be on Friday and for ten days. 1660 exhibitors from 65 countries meet to show their produce to probably more than 400.000 visitors. Folk clad in green gave the week its name. For 40 years it was an Eden for walled-in West Berlin – that still makes it tremendously popular for many silver agers.
118.000 square meters hall space full of foodstuffs and beverages from around the globe – with a focus on regional specialities. Weltexpress and our partner page Gastrosofie will present the tastiest for sure. Not the “city’s famous curried sausage” though, but culinary highlights from Berlin and the other 13 German federal states. Especially Bavaria where nearly everybody is proud to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Purity Law – stating that no other ingredients than water and malt, hops and yeast should be added to brew beer. This law applies to Germany north of the “Weißwurstäquator” as well and 90% of the Germans want to keep it like that. Craft beers are now an up-going trend. In parts of Franconia though, each village has always had its own brewery, and the brewery pub to go along with it. But if you prefer wine rather then beer head to Hall 2.2 where you will find “Weinwerk”. A “dedicated presentation using the setting of the International Floral Hall” – suppose were in for a surprise.
65 then, but no Russia mind you, although they used to be partner country – a European one for sure. „The Russian embargo alone has cost some one billion euros, and this is one of the main reasons for the collapse in agricultural prices“ said Joachim Ruckwied, President of the German Farmers Union DBV. That led to an average decline in incomes of around 35% for some farmers during the past year. Let’s turn to Morocco therefore. The Kingdom of Morocco is One Thousand and One Nights and days of sheer splendour. H. R. H. Princess Lalla Meryem will represent a country at the opening event that wants to put on stage a show that is supposed to demonstrate Morocco in all its diversity this Thursday evening. We will see! And from Friday onward will pay a visit to Hall 18 where Morocco displays its different landscapes and the whole range of its products – not only precious Argan oil but also “Red Gold” and much more.
The Green Week is a welcome occasion for parents to make their city kids, at the sight of a cow or two or more, familiar with the fact that milk does not really come out of a box. And it is a welcome occasion for agricultural ministers to hold a conference. The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture GFFA is “the world’s leading agricultural policy event”. ‘A world without hunger is possible’ is not the result of it but a special show in Hall 18 – for the first time, organised by the Federal Ministry of Economic Aid and Development. Give them a round of applause, please!
