The world’s premier organic-food trade fair, BIOFACH, opened its doors in Nuremberg on 10 February with India honoured as “Country of the Year”. The accolade, announced by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, recognises India’s rapid growth as a supplier of certified organic produce and its expanding network of 1.6 million organic farmers.
APEDA—the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority—has organised India’s pavilion, featuring 300 exhibitors and a culinary theatre showcasing millet-based foods aligned with the UN’s International Year of Millets. German importers are keen; organic sales in Germany topped €16 billion in 2025, and retailers are diversifying supply chains after weather-related crop failures in Southern Europe.
The four-day fair is expected to draw 35,000 trade visitors from 135 countries, generating a surge in visa applications at German missions across Asia. Consulates in Mumbai and New Delhi reported appointment slots for trade-fair visas filling within hours of release. Bavaria’s state government has deployed additional English-speaking police at Nürnberg Messe to streamline badge checks and enforce Schengen-zone labour regulations for stand personnel.
![India Named “Country of the Year” as BIOFACH 2026 Opens in Nuremberg]()
International attendees squeezed by those rapidly booked embassy slots might consider an online facilitator. VisaHQ, for example, provides step-by-step assistance for German Schengen trade-fair visas, document checks and live status tracking—services that can simplify preparations for BIOFACH and future events alike. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/
For corporate travel managers, the designation means higher demand for flight and hotel inventory along Germany’s north-south corridors. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn is adding extra ICE services between Frankfurt Airport and Nuremberg, while Messe Nürnberg has extended shuttle-bus hours to 23:00 to accommodate late-evening networking events.
Beyond the immediate uptick in travel, India’s status as “Country of the Year” could catalyse long-term B2B partnerships, reinforcing Germany’s position as a gateway for Asian organic brands into the EU market—an angle relocation and sourcing teams may wish to monitor.
APEDA—the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority—has organised India’s pavilion, featuring 300 exhibitors and a culinary theatre showcasing millet-based foods aligned with the UN’s International Year of Millets. German importers are keen; organic sales in Germany topped €16 billion in 2025, and retailers are diversifying supply chains after weather-related crop failures in Southern Europe.
The four-day fair is expected to draw 35,000 trade visitors from 135 countries, generating a surge in visa applications at German missions across Asia. Consulates in Mumbai and New Delhi reported appointment slots for trade-fair visas filling within hours of release. Bavaria’s state government has deployed additional English-speaking police at Nürnberg Messe to streamline badge checks and enforce Schengen-zone labour regulations for stand personnel.
International attendees squeezed by those rapidly booked embassy slots might consider an online facilitator. VisaHQ, for example, provides step-by-step assistance for German Schengen trade-fair visas, document checks and live status tracking—services that can simplify preparations for BIOFACH and future events alike. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/
For corporate travel managers, the designation means higher demand for flight and hotel inventory along Germany’s north-south corridors. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn is adding extra ICE services between Frankfurt Airport and Nuremberg, while Messe Nürnberg has extended shuttle-bus hours to 23:00 to accommodate late-evening networking events.
Beyond the immediate uptick in travel, India’s status as “Country of the Year” could catalyse long-term B2B partnerships, reinforcing Germany’s position as a gateway for Asian organic brands into the EU market—an angle relocation and sourcing teams may wish to monitor.
