NIÜ helped agribusiness companies to showcase their products in China

The Hungarian Innovation Agency (NIÜ) participated in the Nanjing Digital Agricultural Expo together with 5 Hungarian companies: the agency helped Hungarian companies to introduce themselves and build relationships in China through its XPAND programme. 

The XPAND programme series gives SMEs at different levels of preparedness the opportunity to learn through practical examples about the process of international market entry, the challenges and the specificities of different countries. One of the target markets is China, so the purpose of this visit was to give 5 companies participating in XPAND (PigBrother, Freshland, EDF Technology, Discovery Center, Livestocker) the opportunity to present themselves in the Far East. 

During the visit, which lasted a few days, the delegation attended numerous meetings, presentations and events. The focus of the Smart Hungary Agricultural Technology Project Roadshow (organised by the Embassy of Hungary in Beijing, the Consulate General of Hungary in Shanghai, the China-CEEC Industrial Cooperation Park and the Ningbo CEEC Innovation Center) was on the members of the NIÜ delegation, where the companies' representatives had the opportunity to present themselves to investors, academia and other potential partners. The matchmaking event ended with good discussions and the establishment of new professional contacts. 

A highlight was also the participation in the 2024 China Digital Village Expo and the 8th China International Smart Agriculture Expo. At the opening ceremony, the delegation was welcomed by the Consul General in Shanghai, Mr. Szilárd Bolla. The Hungarian stand attracted many visitors and all participants made many new and promising contacts. 

A visit to the Sweet AI Farm in the suburbs of Shanghai was also a useful experience, where Hungarian companies could learn about the history of the company and gain insight into the work on the farm. Production is carried out by agricultural machinery using AI technology, which is also sold by the Chinese company. 

In addition, the experts of the Free Trade Zone in Shanghai presented the local Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and the business opportunities it offers to the staff of the NIÜ and the representatives of Hungarian companies at the Consulate General of Hungary. A Free Trade Zone is an economic geographical area (mostly along ports, airports, national borders) where goods are usually imported, stored, handled, manufactured, etc. without the payment of customs duties. It therefore offers companies and investors very favourable opportunities and is inextricably linked to market access in China. The first FTZ in Shanghai, operational since 2013, has served as a perfect model for a subsequent country-wide FTZ network. Since then, the FTZ, which has received tens of billions of dollars in funding and attracted tens of thousands of companies, has served as a cradle for countless innovation achievements.