Uruguay's largest livestock and agribusiness exposition, Expo Prado, opened Wednesday in the capital Montevideo with strict social distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Gabriel Capurro, president of the Rural Association of Uruguay, the trade group that organizes the expo, said the 115th edition of the expo has "a greater presence of agricultural companies" because many firms were able to participate in the fair after other traditional agricultural expos were suspended due to the pandemic.

New rules required temperature control at the entrance, hand sanitizers, mandatory use of face masks and maintaining physical distance with others, while expo staff were required to undergo tests for COVID-19.

At the opening ceremony, in which Montevideo Mayor Christian Di Candia took part, Capurro stressed that Uruguayan agribusiness has continued its production process throughout the pandemic.

Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou on Wednesday afternoon attended various official events as part of the International Livestock Exhibition and International Agro-Industrial and Commercial Exhibition.

The expo, which runs through Sept. 20, features more than 500 stands in a 65,000-square-meter venue and is expected to draw between 400,000 and 500,000 visitors, possibly less due to the pandemic.

More than 1,500 animals of different breeds will be showcased at the livestock show, mostly cows and sheep.

An exhibit of agricultural machinery, including seeders, harvesters, tractors and irrigation machines, is also part of the expo held in the city's Prado district.