Interview with Alberto Lopez, director of the agricultural area of fair of Zaragoza
January 28, 2009
What innovations in the methods of preparation I would highlight in this edition? And in the machinery?
An important relationship of companies exhibited the latest trends in equipment, techniques and machinery for the wine, oil and the beverage industry in general. Enomaq/Oleomaq it highlights the high level and the bet by r & d sector, which is shown in a variety of trends, equipment and techniques where computing takes a leading role with barrels control systems via barcode, systems of monitoring and control of wine cellars or wine control software; In addition to the numerous innovations in systems of filtration, purification, density sensors, despalilladoras, instruments for measuring of degree or the treatment of effluents wine and plant protection.
How you do that it affects the agricultural sector the current economic situation in our country and abroad? And the wine-growing? And to the fair?
Clearly, the crisis affects us all and we are all immersed in work to ensure that the impact is minimal. It's a global crisis in which all sectors are involved, and the wine is no exception. Although the effects of the crisis are obvious, I can assure you that exhibition quality Enomaq and Tecnovid has not reduced or an apex and that the impact and the expansion of the salons is greater if it is that in previous editions. From Zaragoza fair we are carrying out an important task of dissemination and international presence for citations to obtain large figures.
What would do to improve the sector, if it were, for example, President of this country?
In this sense, almost prefer to say what they would not do: boot strains and not promote the Spanish wine, which is proving to be one of the best in the world. We have gone from being considered as producers of table wine become genuine masters of wine and that, in a few years. It is important to know show the great qualities of our stock to the whole world and it is important to create a uniform and global image of the Spanish wine as a brand.
In any case, it is important to improve to maximize the productivity of our vineyards, using technology that can be found in Enomaq. Also, he would try to involve in their maximum extent to the catering and distribution. Always in the interest of providing maximum wine culture to the consumer.
Increasingly there are more and more wineries. There is demand for both wine?
The demand for wine increased because the wine has been regarded as a product of House to be an element of distinction and sociability. At the moment, it is inconceivable to go to dinner without ask for a glass of wine or not to follow a day of "tapas" with a good stock. The perception has changed and has been improved significantly, so it is normal that arise new production companies. In addition, wine that is being developed in these new wine has a very high quality, which indicates that there is market enough for the wine, provided it is wine quality.
On the other hand, the drop in consumption in Spain is incompatible with the maintenance of the consumption in other European countries. We must show the benefits of wine to new consumers. We need "to fashion" the wine before a new customer: their culture, their benefits, their glamour, differentiate the quality, explain the possibilities on its complexity... It is necessary to publicize all their development and associate it with a culture of entertainment ever more voracious. If we explain their history, their life cycle, each new consumer will enjoy the varieties, territoriality, the specificity. There is a lot and good wine, not too much. We therefore improve the commercial channels.
This explosion of wineries, now many of them for sale, could adversely affect the quality of the wine...
The amount is not a problem in obtaining quality in the production of wine. It is true that the number of wineries has increased, but it is also true that more and better wine is produced. At the moment, the quality of the Spanish wine is undeniable and this is a fact of which we can be proud. Our commitment to r & d and the big change in the overall consumption have been two of the factors that has most helped that our wines are respected, both inside and outside of the domestic market.
For many, still, finishes and the quality of a German machine, for example, is much higher than one manufactured in our country. What's true in this claim? In his view, are the teams for the viticulture of Spanish firms competitive? What can we compete?
It is proven that the Spanish manufacturing teams have so much quality as of any other site. In addition, at the moment in which we operate in a global market, competition is greater, but not only European countries, but also the so-called emerging markets. Our goal is to learn about our products and convince us, to convince others, that our teams can compete as equals with the rest.
What can companies do to improve their quality and image?
One of the tools most used by companies in order to strengthen and increase its image is the participation in international fairs as it is the case of Enomaq and Tecnovid. Currently, trade fair institutions like ours provides a platform to promote the International Imaging. One of the keys that companies should be put forward at this time of economic crisis is the participation of lounges in which to learn about their products and improving the external perception of face to achieve a higher position in the market.
With what arguments it would convince a company in the sector participate in Tecnovid or Enomaq?
The arguments are very simple. You simply highlight that Enomaq, Oleomaq, Tecnovid and Oleotec are highly specialized rooms, which have become the best platform which has olive oil, wine and beverage sector in general to make known the most innovative proposals and the latest techniques for the development of the industry.
Our international show serves as a window that displays the latest innovations in the field of machinery and technologies applied to the wine and the oil industry, and beverages in general. In total, in the last edition held in 2007, rooms were more than 70,000 square meters - distributed between halls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 - and more than thousand exhibitors from five continents.
And a possible visitor?
Exactly the same. For visitors, come to Enomaq and Tecnovid has many attractions, as here, in the facilities of Feria de Zaragoza meet, during four days, the companies more leading edge and innovative in the field oleica and wine and have the majority support of the entire sectorfully committed for the development of these competitions and the connection between the market in wine and the oil in the same exhibition space. I am convinced that all visitors who prefer for our contests will not be disappointed.
What you expect, as director of the pageant, this edition?
I hope to keep the level that has always characterized these halls and, even, to increase. I think are two rooms with a high level exhibition and who clearly opt for technology applied to the world of wine. We have the presence of the major international firms and our outward reputation is excellent, which is why I am convinced that we are going to celebrate a great fair that will be backed by exhibitors and visitors.
My main goal is to target an important offer of content and show to a large demand professional, mark parameters of quality, both fair of Zaragoza and the services offered by our environment and basically achieve the highest degree of satisfaction both exhibitors and visitors. As I like to repeat, we are an instrument at the service of the sector.
What is your favorite national wine? E international? Why?
He is a committed, but easy to answer question. There are so many excellent wines in Spain and in the world that I would find it impossible to stay with one. For those who love the culture of wine, the work in the vineyard, the selection, development or presentation, a wine tasting is more than just its sampling.
Carry your Moorish nose, vanilla, violet or pepper. Know link range and territory. Enjoy, learn, always learn, is a passion that we know all the lovers of wine. I would recommend everyone to read a dictionary of wine. There is so much poetry contained in its terms that it is difficult to abstract to his spell.
He would talk you of excellent wine cellars, of the meatiness of Grenache, Petit verdot, of the roussette, of the preta trincadeira, the malbec. Spanish wines of any denomination, Hungarian wines of Burgundy, California... I think that we could make this question a long interview.
What are our wines and wineries that do not have the French, for example?
Our wines are race and characteristics peculiar to that, little by little, they win integers among the best. At the moment it is common to find a Spanish broth in a wine shop in any European or American country and, in addition, they have a very peculiar feature that when the people try them, repeat. Without a doubt, the land and the water of Spain printed you a special character to our wine and that is transmitted.
Do we not know sell abroad?
Of course I know sell abroad, and better and better. What happens is that the Spanish market opened its borders for less time than, for example, French or Italian, and this has made its position in the market better. However, in recent years is being carried out major international campaigns by the Spanish Government, as well as designations of origin and the companies themselves, who want to see your products in the best global showcases. Although we have taken off with some delay, the Spanish wine market is doing very well the things in the international field.
In addition to the halls dedicated to wine and oil, Feria de Zaragoza opens this year with Fruyver, a new event dedicated to the techniques and equipment for the sector of fruits and vegetables. Is the fair why has embarked on this new project?
Fruit and vegetables sector is of vital importance for the economy and is completely related to the wine and the oil market. For this reason, we have launched the first Salon of techniques for fruit and vegetables sector. Our idea is that you it's a tool to revive the Spanish fruit market, as well as to offer a different forum for officials related to the future of the national horticultural market.
Spain is in these moments, the world's leading exporter and the second European country in production of fruit and vegetables, so fair of Zaragoza has tried to offer the ideal setting to allow this expansion to remain on the rise. This is a specific forum and professional nature that will bring a new vision, as well as offer the possibility to merge so specific as the wine market and oil, whose producers are, in many cases, farmers.
Much of the public hard to understand more about the complaints of the farmers in our country, taking into account that we are the world's leading exporter of fruits and vegetables. How would you explain this situation?
The situation is complicated and more if we consider that Spain is and has historically been an agricultural country. It is true that the situation of the Spanish field is difficult and that action by all stakeholders is necessary. The truth is that there is a wide gap between the price at the source and acquires the final consumer, but it is also true that we must be able to compete with new emerging markets and in doing so we must ensure that our product differs on the outside and that compete on price, because the quality of our agricultural products is indisputable.
Alberto López Sánchez, 41, is Attorney at law and Marketing agricultural technician. Among other positions, he has directed a company dedicated to the manufacture of agricultural implements and he has worked in the agricultural sector media. Since the end of 2004, López assumed the direction of the agro-food area of fair of Zaragoza.
"As a matter of will, since I finished my studies until my position here at the fair, my cycle in all companies for which I have worked has been of a maximum of 4 years". According to López, has been in sectors that have provided you "an important experience" in different areas in order to develop its functions of head of the agro-food area of Zaragoza fair now. "It has always been a choice: keep an excellent relationship with all the companies for which I worked but I wanted to gain experience in different areas and above all in different sectors", affirms. "To the end and all, in a matter of direction of teams, strategy in general is very similar, the only thing that changes are issues specific to each sector".