IFEX Philippines posts $162 million export sales

MANILA, Philippines — The export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported a 52 percent jump in export sales from its annual IFEX Philippines food trade show.

In a statement yesterday, the DTI- Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) three-day trade show held from May 26 to 28 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City generated $162 million in actual and negotiated export sales.

The food trade show, which aimed to promote the country’s food export industry, attracted almost 9,500 local and international trade visitors and buyers, according to CITEM.

Fruits and vegetables were the top export commodities with nearly $80 million generated in export sales alone.

This was followed by snacks and crispy and savory food generating over $21 million in export sales.

According to CITEM, physical business-to-business (B2B) meetings, with the assistance of the Department of Trade and Industry - Export Marketing Bureau, generated over $61 million in export sales.

In addition, retail sales generated from visitors totaled to P9.7 million.

Meanwhile, total domestic sales generated by the trade show this year reached P147 million.

CITEM executive director Edward Fereira said the event proves that Filipino food is on track to become one of the world’s food-sourcing destinations for healthy and tasty Asian cuisine, especially with the growing presence of businesses from the region.

“This year’s IFEX has been outstanding as we have brought together the best-tasting and the highest-quality of food products and ingredients under one roof with representations from the regions of the Philippines,” Fereira said.

He also stressed the importance of events like IFEX Philippines, saying that Filipinos cannot only share innovations within the food sector with the global market but also impart the centuries-old culture and heritage of the Philippines.

“Through the event, we bridged more businesses together and improved our relations with our current partners as we gear toward responding to the growing demand for Asian and healthy food products like durian and ube,” he said.

IFEX Philippines project manager Rowena Mendoza said earlier that this year’s trade show featured over 700 leading Philippine and international food and beverage exporters. This is double the 346 exhibitors featured in last year’s event.

IFEX Philippines is CITEM’s long-running trade event and sourcing program for Philippine and global food and ingredients.