Over 20,000 visitors are expected to attend this week’s FTMTA Farm Machinery Show, according to the organisers.
In total, some 19,000 visitors attended the show over the course of the three days of the last event in 2015, figures show.
Based on the increase in advance ticket sales and overall interest, the organisers expect to welcome more visitors next week.
The FTMTA Farm Machinery Show will be held at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas, Co. Kildare over three days from Thursday, February 9, to Saturday, February 11.
The event is run on a biennial basis by the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA), which is the representative body for the farm machinery industry in Ireland. Every other year, the organisation holds its Grass & Muck event.
The FTMTA’s membership comprises businesses engaged in the manufacture, importation, distribution, retail sale and servicing of farm machinery – right across Ireland.
Farmers, contractors and machinery enthusiasts will flock to the venue at Punchestown over the three days.
The FTMTA will again make a provision for younger visitors to the show on Saturday, February 11, with a supervised indoor play area with a host of attractions for ‘junior’ farmers.
A total of nearly 170 individual exhibitors will be present, filling 14,000 sq m of indoor exhibition space in four pavilions. One of the main attractions and benefits for visitors and exhibitors is that the FTMTA allows no duplication of the same machines on different stands. Nor is any used machinery allowed at the show.
According to the FTMTA, there will be a considerable number of new exhibitors at this year’s event.
There is a new area on the ground floor of the racecourse grandstand dedicated to the “Farming of Tomorrow” concept, to highlight developments in Precision Agriculture and Smart Farming. This area will feature a mix of presentations, information on costs and benefits of this technology, in different types of farming enterprises, and displays from Irish suppliers.
Tickets can either be bought at the show on entry or in advance, until 6pm on February 8, from a link on the homepage of the FTMTA website, which takes users to a secure ticket sales site. Online tickets are available at a cost of €15, as against a charge of €20 for admission on show days.