September 1, 2005

Environment conservation and food safety promoted at Korea livestock exhibition

Livestock products, such as pork, beef cattle, milk, eggs and chicken, account for a major part of Korea's agricultural production. The Korean livestock industry is "one of the most competitive sectors among the many in Korean agriculture and excels any other countries in productivity and quality," said Mr Choi Young Your, President of Korean Swine Association and chairman of the organizing committee for Korea International Livestock Expo 2005 (KISTOCK 2005), at the opening of the 3-day exhibition which opened Wednesday in Daejeon, Korea.

KISTOCK was initiated as the Poultry Exposition in 1991 and was expanded to cover all sectors of the Korean livestock industry from 1999. The venue for the exhibition was moved from Seoul to the KOTREX convention and exhibition center in Daejeon this year, to entice more participation from livestock farmers throughout Korea and to facilitate the display of livestock animals for sampling by potential buyers.

Two hundred and forty one exhibitors participated in this year's event, with about forty-six percent of them being manufacturers of livestock machinery and materials. Producers of feed ingredients, formula feed, animal medicines and breeding stock companies make up the rest of exhibiting companies. About twenty overseas companies also participated, with more than ten from China.

The theme of KISTOCK 2005 is "Clean Environment, Safe Livestock Products". The Korean livestock industry wants to pay more attention to environment conservation and food safety as it strives for further growth, emphasized Mr Your.

KISTOCK 2005 is organized by Korea Swine Association, Korea Dairy and Beef Farmers Association, Korea Poultry Association, Korea Association for Livestock Housing, Environment Machinery, and Hanwoo Association.

  Government and industry officials at the opening         eFeedLink - one of the industry media covering

  ceremony of KISTOCK 2005.                                      KISTOCK 2005.

    
  Animal breeds display at KISTOCK 2005 for sampling by potential buyers.