May 19, 2005

 

Upcoming event a centrestage for South Korea's livestock

 

An eFeedLink exclusive report

 

 

A new venue and fresh line-up of activities, seminars and exhibitions await visitors to this year's Korean International Livestock Expo (KISTOCK) 2005. 

 

Starting August 31, the three-day event will be transplanted from its long-running venue in Seoul to Daejeon city, conveniently located in the heart of South Korea. The move to Daejeon reflects the organisers' wish for an event that not only brings together top names in the livestock and feed business, but also attracts participation from the country's farmers, who form the bulk of end-users for feed products and farming equipment.

 

" KISTOCK has always been a consumer-oriented event, and our participants - both exhibitors and trade show goers - have mostly been feed millers, equipment manufacturers or those in the animal health sciences sector,"  said Michael Kim from the organising committee. " However, we would like to see this year's event drawing more farmers from all over the country." 

 

So why the move to Daejeon city? " Farmers generally find Daejeon much more accessible than Seoul owing to Daejeon's central location and relative proximity to farms across Korea,"  explained Kim. Lower parking costs in Daejeon compared with the more congested capital will also be a boon for farmers keen to display their livestock breeds on site, he added.

 

This will be the first time that farmers can bring their breeding stocks, including that of renowned domestic beef cattle, to the exhibition grounds for a live auction sale. This, as well as performances, activities, and the display and sampling of local delicacies, will be held at two separate outdoor pavilions at the KOTRA Exhibition Centre, or KOTREX in Daejeon.

 

" We are confident that Korea's balmy late-August temperatures will lure crowds out of the expo halls and into the open-air arenas" , said Bok Teok-kyu, exhibition manager of the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency. For those less inclined, Bok assures that the two exhibition halls featuring a mix of international and local exhibitors and an indoor site specifically for seminars will keep visitors well occupied. The exhibition area at KOTREX will be spread over 15,000 sq metres, plus another 2,000 sq metres for the outdoor pavilions.

 

Ever since its inception as a poultry exhibition in 1991, KISTOCK has grown to become one of Asia's premier livestock shows. Expanding in tandem with advancements in Korean livestock management and feed technology, the KISTOCK organising team are working to ensure that this year's show will continue to provide an excellent platform for trade and information exchange among participants worldwide, as well as a fitting showcase for South Korea's well-developed and dynamic livestock industry.

 

Tomorrow (Friday, May 20 2005): South Korea's dynamic livestock industry

 

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