03 Jun 2021

Grain SA’s renowned annual agricultural tradeshow, the 2021 NAMPO Harvest Day that was rescheduled for 17 – 20 August has been cancelled, the organisation announced today.

Following the initial postponement earlier this year, government policies and guidelines permitting, the arrival of the 3^rd COVID-19 wave, and the amendments to the lockdown levels under the National State of Disaster has left the organisation with no alternative. With more than 750 exhibitors participating in this agricultural showpiece, sights are now set on 2022.

Throughout the first half of 2021, Grain SA continued to monitor the surge in the coronavirus pandemic nationally and the accompanying regulations and restrictions on the country.  The rising COVID-19 cases led to further limitations on outdoor gatherings providing complex challenges in hosting the Harvest Day, and in the interests of all visitors, event personnel, exhibitors and the local community’s health and safety, the event has been cancelled. It marks the second straight year the NAMPO Harvest Day has been called off due to the pandemic.

“The decision to cancel or postpone any event, especially the NAMPO Harvest Day – the biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere – is not an easy call for any organisation” CEO, Jannie de Villiers said. “Events of this scale require significant investment of time and resources by the organisers, approval institutions at local and national levels, exhibitors and service providers alike, and a decision as to whether NAMPO 2021 should go ahead had to be taken timeously”, de Villiers added.

Furthermore, Grain SA continuously consulted with its NAMPO stakeholders and partners evaluating the possibility of hosting the 2021 NAMPO Harvest Day in its original format whilst still ensuring the safety of both exhibitors and visitors alike. “The NAMPO Harvest Day requires months of planning from the organisation and its exhibitors and with many of its stakeholders still prohibiting participation in, and attendance of events, the decision to cancel the event was once again, a necessary one,” Dr Dirk Strydom, Manager: Grain Economy and Marketing said.

Grain SA remain committed to presenting a diversified agricultural trade exhibition to the benefit of our loyal partners, the local community, the agricultural sector and the broader public, and we look forward to hosting the 2022 NAMPO Harvest Day from 17-20 May 2022 on NAMPO Park, just outside Bothaville in the Free State.

The NAMPO Cape show, scheduled for 8-10 September 2021 in Bredasdorp, Western Cape and the NAMPO Alfa show, scheduled for 30-Sep – 2-Oct 2021 on NAMPO Park, Bothaville have also been cancelled. The decision to host these two popular regional shows will be reconsidered should government regulations be amended.

Ends

Issued by:
Grain SA Communications

Further enquiries:
Toit Wessels, Ass Manager: NAMPO & Marketing | 086 004 7246 | toit@grainsa.co.za
Dr Dirk Strydom, Manager: Grain Economy & Marketing | 086 004 7246 | dirks@grainsa.co.za