IN a big paddock just out of Gunnedah’s township, Disneyland for farmers is under construction.
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AgQuip 2014 turns 42 next week and Australasia’s biggest agricultural field day exhibition will be bigger than ever.
There are more than 3000 exhibitors and organisers are expecting more than 100,000 visitors over three days from next Tuesday.
But, says Rural Press Event’s general manager Barry Harley, it’s not about how many visitors come through the gates.
“It’s not about how many people are here, it is about how successful our exhibitors are,” Mr Harley said.
“We try to provide an environment where we bring the buyers and the sellers together without any barriers.
“This is probably the largest agricultural supermarket in Australia.”
Giant-sized equipment is already pouring onto the Blackjack Road site ahead of AgQuip’s Tuesday opening.
Mr Harley said while the shape of retailing might be changing with technology, buyers still wanted the “tactile” experience of actually taking a look at whole ranges of super-sized products.
He said a survey following last year’s AgQuip indicated there had been $50-$60 million in direct sales from the field days, and another $140 million in directly-related sales in the year that followed.
“The halcyon days of the ‘80s and ‘90s where people opened their wallets and snapped up three tractors have gone, but there is still money to spend,” Mr Harley said.
AgQuip organisers are hoping - like farmers across the region - for rain this weekend.
“That would be great,” Mr Harley said.
“For some events that would be a problem, but it won’t be a great difficulty for AgQuip exhibitors and visitors.
“People will open their purses more dramatically. It’s been pretty dry here.
“And the saying goes, ‘in farming, there’s money in mud, but nothing in dust’.”
AgQuip will open from 9am to 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 9am to 4pm on Thursday.
For more information, visit www.agquip.com.au