Philippines eyes higher sales from world’s biggest food fair

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine firms are expected to generate $66 million worth of sales from the world’s biggest food fair to be held in Germany next month, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) said.

In a statement, CITEM, the exports promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry, said 31 Philippine food firms are  set to participate in the Allgemeine Nahrungs- und Genussmittel-Ausstellung, popularly known as Anuga, on Oct. 5 to 9,  in Cologne in Germany.

This year’s participating Philippine firms are aiming a combined $66 million worth of export sales.

In 2017, the 19 Philippine firms which took part in the event generated $65.7 million in export sales.

 “The Philippine exhibit this year in Germany will focus on the country’s ‘Premium 7’ export products, namely banana, cacao, coconut, coffee, mango, pineapple and tuna. We want traders and food enthusiasts in Anuga to see how our products and ingredients can be used in European kitchens and restaurants,” CITEM executive director Pauline Suaco-Juan said.

Apart from food tasting activities, the Philippine delegation will also take part in business-matching activities during the event.

Juan said the Philippines would like to take advantage of the event to promote its products and utilize its benefits under the European Union Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (EU GSP+).

As a beneficiary of the EU GSP+, the Philippines can enjoy duty-free entry for 6,274 products to the bloc.

 “We want to capitalize on our existing inclusion under EU’s GSP+ through this event where Philippine exporters can get a first-hand scope of the global food industry,” Juan said.

Trade Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman said the EU-GSP+ has been a significant boost to the country’s exports.

An estimated P120 billion worth of Philippine exports have  benefited from the GSP+ since 2017, particularly in the food and agricultural sector.

“Through this participation, we aim to further increase the Philippines’ EU-GSP+ utilization rate and further diversify the country’s export products which are covered under the preferential scheme,” he said.

The EU is the Philippines’ fourth largest trading partner, third largest import source and fourth largest export market.

Last year, the country’s external trade in goods with the EU reached $17.49 billion.

Philippine exports to EU reached $8.59 billion, while imports from the bloc were valued at $8.59 billion.