Fruit and vegetables: Chile and kiwis take centre stage at the next edition of Macfrut
The event, due to take place in Rimini in April, was presented at the Salone del Gusto in Turin. Kiwis are becoming an increasingly important driver of ‘Made in Italy’ exports, with overseas sales totalling 700 million (+26.4 per cent)
Key points
The kiwi as the flagship product, Chile as the featured country, and Piedmont as the partner region. These are the three key themes of the 44th edition of Macfrut, the international fruit and vegetable trade fair, which, organised by Cesena Fiere, will be held in April 2027 at the Rimini Expo Centre. Macfrut 2027 was unveiled as part of the Salone del Gusto in Turin.
A three-day event dedicated to fruit and vegetables: markets, research and innovation
A three-day event during which Rimini and Romagna will be the epicentre of the global fruit and vegetable sector, with a focus on markets and research, B2B meetings (the previous edition attracted 900 international buyers, thanks in part to the scouting activities carried out by the Italian Trade Agency) and a showcase of the latest technological innovations, ranging from packaging and machinery to irrigation systems and pre- and post-harvest solutions. Not to mention that the same event will also host Fieravicola, the only trade fair entirely dedicated to the chicken and egg supply chain.
The kiwi: a symbol of the vitality of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector
The 2027 edition will focus on the kiwi, a true symbol of the vitality of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector. Italia is, in fact, Europe’s leading producer, with around 400,000 tonnes, and the third-largest in the world, behind only China and New Zealand. Production is concentrated in five regions: Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Veneto and Piedmont. The kiwi is one of the driving forces behind Italian exports, with overseas sales last year growing by 19.8 per cent in volume and 26.4 per cent in value, totalling around 700 million euros. There are five main markets, with Germany accounting for a quarter of our exports, followed by Spain, Belgium, France and the United States.
Chile: an emerging economy thanks to cherries and dried fruit
Another focus of the 2027 edition of Macfrut will be Chile, a country that is more than just an emerging player on the global fruit and vegetable scene. It is also a textbook example, with its strategy of specialising in two production sectors: cherries and nuts (hazelnuts and walnuts). Between 2020 and 2025, the area under cherry cultivation in Chile rose from around 39,600 to nearly 77,800 hectares, thanks to massive investment in varietal innovation. This growth in production has been accompanied by a rise in exports. Chile’s overseas sales of fruit and vegetables reached a turnover of 8.5 billion dollars in 2025, up 16 per cent on the previous year, thanks to a strong presence in the Chinese market.
A competitor, but also a customer for Italian-made technologies
From an Italian perspective, Chile is a competitor on international markets but also an important market for fruit and vegetable technologies, particularly packaging machinery and irrigation systems.
