The Polish exhibition was officially opened by Stefan Krajewski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Andrzej Cieszkowski, chargé d'affaires a.i. the Republic of Poland in Brazil and Marcel Moreira, Deputy Secretary for Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA) in Brazil.

"Agri-food export accounts for as many as 15% of total Polish export. Our food is willingly purchased and appreciated all over the world. Considerable surpluses in agricultural production are successfully shipped to nearly 200 countries around the world. Therefore, Polish agriculture has a significant contribution to global food security" – said the Minister, greeting the gathered visitors.

Deputy Minister Stefan Krajewski stressed that every year we achieved increasingly higher revenues from the sale of Polish products to foreign markets. "We closed the last year with the export at a record-breaking level of EUR 53.5 billion and this is mainly due to our producers and exporters".

The Polish exhibition presents, among others, juices, fruit and vegetable products, groats, rice wafers, seeds, spices, dairy products, a wide range of sweets (cookies, pralines, chocolates, candies, bars) and pasta.

An additional attraction for the visitors is live cooking shows, organised in cooperation with the Pork Promotion Fund and the Cereal Grain and Cereal Products Promotion Fund.

The APAS Show fair in São Paulo is one of the largest events in the food and retail industry in Latin America. Every year, it attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors from all over the world, by offering a platform to present the latest products, technologies and innovations in the agri-food sector. It is a place where global brands meet local manufacturers to establish business contacts and follow up-to-date consumer trends. The event is organised by the São Paulo Supermarket Association (APAS) and is an important point in the calendar for companies wishing to develop their activity in the dynamically growing Brazilian market. The fair also combines the conference part, by offering a rich programme of lectures and debates on the future of retail. Last year’s edition of the event was attended by more than 70,000 visitors and 850 exhibitors, including 200 from abroad.

In recent years, the Brazilian market has become more and more important for Polish companies. The participation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the APAS Show fair is aimed at promoting the Polish agri-food sector, establishing contacts with supermarket chains, restaurateurs, distributors and wholesalers, as well as at gaining new outlet markets for Polish agri-food products.

The presence at this event gives Polish companies a real opportunity to find business partners, increase their export level and promote Polish products in the dynamically developing region. It is also an opportunity to become familiar with the latest trends and technologies in retail.

The Polish national stand during this event is a continuation of activities promoting the Polish food sector in South America, among others, activities promoting Polish apples in Colombia and the organisation of the Polish national stand (KOWR) at the Espacio Food & Service fair in Chile.