Following a six-year break, the National Agriculture and Food Exhibition (OMÉK), organised jointly by the Ministry of Rural Development and the Agricultural Marketing Centre (AMC), will take place between September 28 and October 2 at the Hungexpo Budapest Fair Centre.

The Chief Patron of the 75th OMÉK is Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who will be opening the event on the morning of the first day; the patron of the exhibition is Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas.

The 2011 OMÉK is also very significant from an agro-diplomatic point of view. The guest of honour of the exhibition will be Poland, who took over the rotating EU presidency from Hungary on July 1. Polich Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki will also be taking part in the first day's events. The leading agricultural politicians, ministers, state secretaries and experts of several countries are expected to attend the exhibition.

Participation by exhibitors is extremely high, and more floor space has been sold by the AMC than its predecessors did in either 2000 or 2005, at previous OMÉK exhibitions. Around 450 exhibitors will present their products at the 75th OMÉK.

The National Agriculture and Food Exhibition, which boasts a two-hundred year history, is Hungary's largest and most prestigious agriculture and farming exhibition. This year's jubilee 75th OMÉK is based on the spirit of a radically new agricultural policy, the ten-year National Rural Strategy. The Budapest location was chosen so that as many city residents as possible might become familiar with the value-creating work of people from rural areas. This is also in harmony with the goal expressed in the National Rural Strategy, according to which we must reinstate the traditionally strong relationship between the city and its outlying, rural areas, because one cannot exists without the other. It is no accident that the motto of this year's OMÉK is "The Essence of the Hungarian Land". At the exhibition we will present our excellent quality Hungarian foods, our rare and valuable autochthonous animals and plants, our wines, bio-products, pálinkas, and our agricultural machinery, designed with our famous Hungarian ingenuity.

The event fits one of the important goals of the Ministry, namely that healthy and safe, locally produced food should reach the table of every person in Hungary at affordable prices.
The exhibition and fair presents a unique opportunity for the whole cross-section of Hungarian agriculture and the food industry to present itself and its products, from the cultivation of basic ingredients to processed foods.

Bio-products and wines are particularly well represented at this year's event, as well as many areas closely connected to rural life and work, that have not been at the centre of attention until now, such as stands and exhibitions presenting mineral water, honey, autochthonous animal species and arts and crafts products. The executives of the Ministry of Rural Development will also be present at the event; the Ministry's stand can be found in Pavilion "A".

For exhibitors, the OMÉK is an excellent opportunity to exchange information, to keep contacts, and to market and sell their products, while for visitors it is a chance to gain professional information and collect new ideas, and also includes fun and exciting programmes for children.

The hostess of the exhibition is Marcsi Borbás, while the presenter of events on stage will be Ferenc Rákóczi – both popular Hungarian television presenters.

The Ministry of Rural development would like the 75th OMÉK to be a real festivity; a fitting celebration of Hungarian agriculture, the Hungarian food industry, and Rural Development. An event that draws attention to itself not just as a magnificent spectacle, but also with its professional calibre, and which may deservedly become one of the most significant agriculture exhibitions in Europe, or even the entire world.

A taste of some of the exhibition's programmes:

Conferences:

- Carpathian Basin Rural Development Forum
- Actual Issues of the CAP
- National Conference of Cheese Producers
- Agricultural Machine Industry Forum
- Forum on Rabbit-Breeding
- GMO Debate Forum
- Forum on Opportunities in the Hungarian Fisheries Industry
- Conference entitled "The State of the Hungarian Vegetable and Fruit Sector"
- Conference entitled "Near-Natural Farming"
- Arable Land and Estate Policy Forum
- Forum on the state of the Hungarian grain sector
- Wine Sector Conference
- Conference entitled "Opportunities in Opening towards Eastern Markets for the Hungarian Food Economy"

On the Stage:
Pavilion "A" awaits guests with interactive children's programmes. Performing on stage will be: Besh'o'drom live concert, Gala performance of the Bartók Folk Dance Group, Puppy Show, Ági Szalóki's children's show, András Berecz storyteller, Introduction of Wine and Pálinka Orders, Irigy Hónaljirigy koncert, Regions-Costume-Folk Traditions presentation etc.

Animal Shows:
Chinchilla-bathing, horse breeds show, autochthonous animal show, sheep and goat breeds show, horse dressage show, cow-milking and shearing exhibition, horse-shoeing exhibition, Hungarian dog breeds show; At the Kincsem Park's horse field: Hungarian Grey Cattle bull presentation, ox-team coach, Bábolna fanfare players, Hortobágy horse-wranglers etc.

Exhibitors:
Agricultural machinery producers, hand-made chocolate makers, vegetable processors, round hay-bale machine makers, honey producers, stable heating company, bakers, cheese-makers, pálinka distilleries, horse harness makers, fertilizer producers, salami and sausage makers etc.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)