Every year, one of the most anticipated events of the agricultural forum AGRA is the “Innovation Competition”, where innovative products and developments in the field of agriculture take part. They are presented for the first time at the international exhibition and demonstrate actual innovations or original improvements and can be regarded as progress in the respective field. This year, a total of 47 products and developments from 29 companies and scientific institutes participated in the competition.
The competition categories were six and included technologies, machinery and equipment for crop production and livestock breeding, certified seeds and planting material, fertilizers and preparations, scientific activity and developments. The commission was chaired by the President of the Agricultural Academy Prof. Dr. Eng. Martin Banov.
The Agricultural Academy received 13 awards at the AGRA 2020 Innovation Competition
The Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection “Nikola Pushkarov” received three awards for:
1. Multifunctional machine for roses – Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection "N. Pushkarov" – Plaque (In Section I “Machinery, equipment and technologies for crop production”)
2. Method for phytoremediation of agricultural land contaminated with heavy metals and metalloids – Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection "Nikola Pushkarov" – Plaque (In Section V “Scientific activity and developments”)
3. Integrated system for remote determination of the condition of crops of agricultural plants. Joint development of ISSAPP “N. Pushkarov” and the Space Research and Technology Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – Plaque (In Section V “Scientific activity and developments”)
And the other awarded institutes in Section III “Certified seeds and planting material”:
4. Spring fodder barley variety “Venera” – Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat – Certificate
5. New wine grape variety “Misket Viking”, suitable for organic viticulture and winemaking – Institute of Agriculture and Seed Science “Obraztsov Chiflik” – Ruse – Certificate
6. “Byala” – head cabbage variety “Bilyan” – Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute – Plovdiv – Certificate
7. Sunflower hybrid “Enigma CLP” – Dobrudzha Agricultural Institute – General Toshevo – Plaque
In Section V “Scientific activity and developments”:
8. New, high-quality and cost-effective common winter wheat variety “Sashets” – Institute of Plant Genetic Resources “K. Malkov” – Sadovo – Certificate
9. Maize hybrids Knezha: 320, 564, 565, 648 – Maize Research Institute – Knezha – Certificate
10. Muffin with natural sugar substitutes – coconut sugar and mesquite flour – Institute of Food Preservation and Quality – Plovdiv – Certificate
11. Women’s and men’s perfumes “Olympea” and “Olympe” with an oriental-floral composition – Institute of Rose – Kazanlak – Plaque
12. Biologically active enzyme product “Fibrino ZIM” – Institute of Cryobiology and Food Technologies – Certificate
13. Cover hive board with extended technological capabilities – Institute of Animal Science – Kostinbrod – Certificate (Section VI: “Animal husbandry”)
The other winners
In the section “Certified seeds and planting material” Corteva Agriscience Sofia was awarded for its maize and sunflower hybrids, as well as for its plant protection products. The company Amititsa Ltd., Kresna received a prize in the section “Machinery, equipment and technologies for crop production” for its plant protection technology for successful control of the leaf miner moth and for its biological insecticide “Repax”.
The winners in the section “Fertilizers and preparations for agriculture” are Agropolychim JSC, Devnya with “Compound fertilizer NP 18:38 + 5 S + 0.3 Zn” and AERI–Bulgaria Ltd., Plovdiv with “Biofilter Aeri – system for air purification through the plant roots”.
The Innovation Competition is organized at the initiative of the International Fair Plovdiv with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. At this year’s event, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vratsa received a diploma for its contribution to enriching “AGRA 2020” with the significant business events it organizes. The prize was presented by Georgi Gergov. The names of the companies awarded a special prize were also announced, as they have participated in “AGRA” for 25 years without interruption. These are “Visser Opora”, “Geosemselect” and “Ralomex”. The awards were presented at the traditional “Exhibitor’s Evening” at the Park Hotel “Sankt Peterburg” in Plovdiv.
The full list of the award winners in the AGRA 2020 Innovation Competition can be seen HERE
