PotatoEurope 2026 returns to Germany – SugarBeet Expo launched as a new industry platform for professional sugar beet production – 9–10 September 2026 – Rittergut Gestorf 1 in Springe near Hanover – Around 300 exhibitors expected – www.potatoeurope.de and sugarbeet-expo.de
A potato planting event organized by the DLG (German Agricultural Society) on 21 April marked the official kick-off for the practical field trials ahead of the PotatoEurope 2026 and the SugarBeet Expo trade fairs, which will take place on 9 and 10 September 2026. Three exhibitors, AVR, DeWulf and GRIMME, demonstrated potato planting technology in practical operation, establishing the crops that will later be harvested live during both trade fairs.
The trade fairs, PotatoEurope and SugarBeet Expo, will be held at the Rittergut Gestorf 1 estate near Hanover, Germany, where around 300 exhibitors are expected.
The potato planting event was organized together with professional farmer Friedrich Henkels at the Gestorf estate where the 45-hectare open-air exhibition site is currently being prepared. Representatives of the agricultural trade press, professional organizations and regional stakeholders attended the event to gain an early insight into the exhibition grounds and upcoming program in September.
“It’s an honour to organise the potato planting event this years and, once again, to welcome PotatoEurope to this farming region for the sixth time,” said Friedrich Henkels, Agrarpartner Limberg KG that manages the land.
“We look forward to hosting the new event, SugarBeet Expo. Events like these allow farmers to experience solutions directly in the field. That is essential when preparing investment decisions and long-term strategies,” he added.
Machinery demonstrations as a core program highlight
At the planting event, the machines AVR Ceres 450, DeWulf Certa 40 and GRIMME Prios 440 performed the operation in the field. The potatoes planted during the event are from Interseed and will be harvested during on-site machinery demonstrations at PotatoEurope and the SugarBeet Expo in September.
Case IH supported the demonstrations as technology partner by providing the tractors for the machinery combinations, while planting material was supplied by regional partner Interseed Potatoes GmbH. Representatives of the Union of the German Potato Industry (UNIKA), initiator and partner of PotatoEurope, were also present at the event.
“PotatoEurope is the central platform for exchange, innovation, and further development within our industry,” emphasizes Olaf Feuerborn, Chairman of the Board of UNIKA. “Especially in light of current and future challenges, the exhibition will highlight how innovative and high‑performing the German potato industry truly is.”
Following the sugar beet drilling in early April, the potato planting operation marked an important part of the field preparations for PotatoEurope 2026 and the SugarBeet Expo. Both crops will be harvested live during the trade fairs in September as part of the on-site machinery demonstrations.
The demonstrations will showcase modern agricultural machinery and techniques under real operating conditions, allowing visitors to experience planting, harvesting and loading processes live in the field. They provide a practical overview of current technological standards, efficiency, precision and sustainability in potato and sugar beet production. Innovative crop protection solutions for row crops will also be presented.
PotatoEurope and the new SugarBeet Expo form an exhibition duo organized by the DLG, dedicated to two of the most important arable crops. In September, the estate, Rittergut Gestorf 1 site, will become an international meeting point for growers, processors and marketers from Germany and abroad. The exhibitions will feature trial plots, live machinery demonstrations – including solutions for mechanical weed control – and special themed areas highlighting current industry issues.
At the kick‑off planting event this week organizer DLG confirmed strong interest from exhibitors and partners and underlined the relevance of the new exhibition concept, which brings PotatoEurope and the SugarBeet Expo together for the first time.
PotatoEurope has been held since 2006 and returns to Germany every four years. In 2026, it will once again be staged at a historic venue close to Hanover, offering excellent international accessibility via Hannover Airport and ICE rail connections. With the launch of the SugarBeet Expo, the DLG is expanding its open‑air exhibition concept to include a dedicated platform for professional sugar beet production.
PotatoEurope 2026 and the SugarBeet Expo will be held on arable land under typical North German growing conditions, providing a realistic setting for live demonstrations and field trials. The exhibition site is located around 30 km south of Hanover at approximately 70 metres above sea level and is characterised by flat terrain and fertile loam to silty loam soils derived from weathered loess. With an average annual temperature of around 9.5 °C and moderate rainfall of approximately 720 mm per year, the site reflects the climatic conditions under which many farmers in Northern and Central Europe operate. The fields are managed within a diverse crop rotation and subject to current regulatory requirements, ensuring that the technologies and practices presented at the two trade fairs are demonstrated under real‑world conditions.
Incepted in 1987, PotatoEurope alternates among the four partner countries Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France, returning to Germany every four years, where it is organized by DLG; the Dutch edition is coordinated by DLG Benelux, the Belgian edition by FEDAGRIM while the French edition is hosted by ARVALIS.
The DLG is the organizer of PotatoEurope 2026 supported by partner and initiator of the Union of the German Potato Industry (UNIKA). The regional partner is Golden Geest-Kartoffeln Erzeugergesellschaft mbH, and the exclusive partner is the State of Lower Saxony.
DLG’s partner for the SugarBeet Expo is the Economic Association of the Sugar Industry (WVZ). The regional partner is Nordzucker AG, the exclusive partner is the State of Lower Saxony, and the technology partner is Case IH.
Exhibitors can still sign up to the PotatoEurope and SugarBeet Expo trade fairs here.
