World's largest farm machinery fair opens in Germany's Hanover

The world's largest agricultural machinery trade fair, Agritechnica, opened in Germany's Hanover on Sunday, with a week-long programme focused on machinery innovation and efficiency in farming.

The fair is being held under the theme "Touch Smart Efficiency."

Organizers expect around 430,000 visitors, only slightly fewer than the record attendance in 2023 when more than 470,000 were counted.

Some 2,800 exhibitors from 52 countries are presenting equipment such as tractors and agricultural machinery until Saturday. All 23 exhibition halls are fully booked, organizers said.

"Agriculture is under enormous pressure," said Lothar Hövelmann, managing director of the German Agricultural Society (DLG), which organizes the fair.

"At the same time, Agritechnica 2025 provides a platform to showcase solutions for sustainable productivity growth and to promote dialogue between practice, science and industry," he said.

Among the innovations on display are drones, sensors and artificial intelligence (AI)-based applications designed to make farm operations more efficient.

The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is presenting results from around 20 research projects, including a fully electric compact tractor with a quick-change battery system, an AI-based multi-sensor system for crop production and drones used for sowing seed.

Agritechnica describes itself as the leading global trade fair for agricultural machinery.

The event is marking its 40th anniversary this year. It was first held in Frankfurt in 1985 and moved to Hanover in 1995, where the industry now meets every two years.