Asia food export boom seen

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s export marketing authority is urging local industries to take advantage of a looming food export boom in Asia.

The Asian region has emerged as the world’s leading tropical food source, supplier and consumer all at the same time.

Citing Asia’s lion’s share in the global trade of tropical fruits, aquaculture products, halal, organic and natural food, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is spearheading the local industry’s foray into a new world market that is making the East practically its hub.

CITEM executive director Rosvi C. Gaetos said such developments had prompted the government to rethink its position and focus its export strategies and efforts on Asia, both as a priority market and as a major regional trading bloc for the rest of the world.

“We are now promoting our food exports for intra-Asian and inter-regional trade as part of the Asian bloc,” Gaetos explained, citing it as the reason for the transformation of the country’s International Food Exhibition (IFEX) from a Philippine to Asian global marketing event.

“That means IFEX Philippines will unprecedentedly have many other Asian exhibitors, aside from Filipino firms, but all the more we need local participants for our industry to take full advantage of its benefits,” Gaetos stressed.

“So we are inviting to IFEX Philippines all our local food manufacturers, retailers, consolidators, agents, distributors, cooperatives, institutional suppliers, people’s organizations, and government and allied industries such as franchises, hotels and restaurants, retail chains, culinary schools, shipping, packaging, refrigeration, post-harvest systems, machinery and equipment suppliers, among others,” Gaetos pointed out.

She said a complete product development program and packaging assistance would be made available to the participating regional micro, small and medium enterprises of a partner province under the show’s partner region program.

As preparation for their participation in IFEX, the program includes trainings, seminars and one-on-one consultations in production, food quality and safety, packaging and labeling, marketing and promotions, pricing and costing, and basic negotiation techniques.

“This (program) is in keeping with CITEM’s mandate to create and nurture a pool of globally competitive exporters and manufacturers that are both product-ready and market-ready,” Gaetos said.

Relaunching itself as “Asia’s Ethnic Food and Ingredients Show,” IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest and most important food trade event featuring fresh, natural, halal, and organic food products. It will be held at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City from May 16 to 19 next year.

Expected to join the event are over 700 exhibitors from the Philippines and other countries such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Turkey who are expected to showcase their uniquely Asian food products to buyers from all over the world.

“Thus, local exhibitors can look forward to global exposure and more opportunities to connect with their leading Asian counterparts,” Gaetos said.

Co-organized with the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), IFEX Philippines has become a main sourcing hub for international food retailers, including Wal-Mart (United States), FBC Worldwide (United States), Mon Chong Loong (United States), Hirasho Shoten Health Co. (Japan), Heuschen Schrouff (Germany), Manning Impex (United Kingdom), Wilby Commercial (Canada), Choithram (Middle East), EMKE Group/Lulu Hypermarkets (Middle East), the Americana Group of Companies (Middle East), the AL MAYA Group of Companies (Middle East), Shankar (Middle East), and NTUC Fairprice (Singapore).

For more information on IFEX Philippines, visit www.ifexphilippines.com or email [email protected]. Interested exhibitors may contact Vicky M. Arellano at (+63 2) 831.2336/831.2201 loc 277 or email her at [email protected] or [email protected]. Interested sponsors may contact Leilani J. Santiago at (+63 2) 831.2336/831.2201 loc 261 or email her at [email protected].