Fuel-feed-food debate at Agri Vision

Opportunities in emerging economies were the second major theme to emerge at
Agri Vision with a particular focus on Brazil, China, India and
Russia.

Agri Vision 2007 attracted about around 340 leaders of
agricultural, food and raw materials businesses from over 30 countries and
representing all continents.

The business conference, organised by
international feed company Nutreco, discussed and debated the major challenges
and opportunities for companies active in the feed-to-food value chain around
the world.

Balance the Challenge
Following the theme ‘Balance
the Challenge’, speakers from Europe, North and South America and Asia described
the constraints they face, the growth potential they have and the ways in which
external events are influencing their businesses.

Prominent business
leaders giving presentations included:

• Larry Pope, President and CEO of
  Smithfield Foods;

• Juan Roig, Executive President of Mercadona;
• Justin Sanders,
  CEO of Campina;

• Cor Broekhuyse, CEO Rabobank North & South America;
• Mark
  Zenuk, Corporate VP and MD Europe & Asia, ADM;

• Roberto Rodrigues, former
  Minister of Agriculture for Brazil and keen promoter of bio-ethanol;

• Mark Han,
  President and CEO DaChan Great Wall Group; and

• Sergey Yushin, Chief of the Executive Committee of the
  Russian National Meat Association.

Progress

Closing the conference, Wout Dekker,
Nutreco CEO, commented, “We must progress from awareness, to insight and
preparedness with respect to the competition between feed, food and fuel. At
this conference, we have clearly become aware of the issues of growing demand
for food and fuel. Now we must prepare to meet the challenge and bring the
strategies into our business models.”

Agri Vision is held every two years and the next
conference will be in 2009. The event was co-hosted by this website
AllAboutFeed.net.