Excitement grows for Nampo 2018

Nampo Harvest Day 2018 is all set to be a knock-out show.

Not a year goes by where the FOCUS team misses the annual Nampo Harvest Day, organised by Grain SA. In fact, the same could be said for all members of the transport industry – as the show routinely attracts truck and trailer manufacturers, component suppliers and transport operators in their droves.

Not much has changed for 2018, except that we can all expect even more! Under the banner “Efficiency and Technology” the Nampo showgrounds in Bothaville, in the Free State, will again be abuzz between May 15 and 18.

While all manner of fascinating machinery will keep visitors enthralled, Du Toit Wessels, assistant manager: Nampo and marketing at Grain SA, says that they can expect a few new attractions this year: “There will be a farmstall with alternative agricultural products, such as strawberries, cheese and olives, as well as the Wildlife Ranching South Africa hall with 14 game-related exhibitors.”

Naturally, with current uncertainty around the land-claims debate and the drought in the Western and Eastern Cape, these will be hot topics of discussion at the annual Nampo Nation in Conversation workshops.

“We will talk about policy matters and political perceptions, family farming, inspirational women in business, economy of scale, small versus big, agriculture 2035 and, on the last day, how the youth sees agriculture in South Africa,” Wessels says.

In line with this year’s theme, Wessels expects that “farmers will definitely be exchanging ideas and looking for new solutions to do things differently”.

Entrance fees range from R110 to R120 at the gate, or R90 to R100 if bought online from TicketPro. Gates open at 07:00 each day and parking is free.

Introducing Nampo Cape

Exciting news is that, in 2018, Nampo will expand – to the Cape! For the first time, between September 12 and 14, Grain SA will host Nampo Cape – a smaller version of the Nampo visitors have come to love.

Held at Bredasdorp Park NPC, Nampo Cape will host its own Nation in Conversation forum, attract lots of exhibitors and food stalls, hold a women’s programme and have a livestock component, a flower show and 4×4 demonstration track.