Philippines-Food Trade Fair disspointing.

Food trade show organizer sees less sales than last year

THE STATE AGENCY behind the annual international food trade show held locally expects participating exporters to make $60 million in booked sales next month, a tad lower than last year’s $83-million total which had exceeded targets.

This year’s target sales for the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines, however, is roughly a tenth more the $54-million goal for 2008, as the food sector is expected to remain resilient amid the economic downturn, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Agri-Marine Division Chief Jose M. Mulato said in a phone interview yesterday.

Participating exporters are advised to offer new products and be ready with standard compliance documents to attract foreign buyers, an official of the Bureau of Export Trade Promotions (BETP) said in a separate interview yesterday.

"Food is among the export sectors with positive [sic] growth. It basically registers an increase every year in terms of sales," Mr. Mulato said.

Asked to explain the subdued sales target, Mr. Mulato said only that CITEM did not want to unduly raise the goal.

Products to be exhibited at the trade show include organic and natural food and ingredients, fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, biscuits, snacks, confectionaries and allied services.

CITEM, said Mr. Mulato, aims to triple the number of buyers at the event this year to 1,000 from about 300 targeted buyers last year.

"Right now, we have [interested delegations] from Germany, France, Netherlands, Norway. For the Middle East, we have buyers coming from the Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. We also have [buyers coming from] North America, South America and Australia," Mr. Mulato said.

Rose Marie G. Castillo, chief of the BETP food and food preparations division, for her part said participating exporters must offer new goods.

"Buyers coming here are mostly seasonal buyers who frequently visit the Philippines. For you to be able to attract interest, show them that you have new products — maybe from the same raw materials but in other forms," Ms. Castillo said in a telephone interview yesterday.

"You have to...have in mind that your product is for the whole world. You should be ready with the needed certification," she added.

Aside from the trade show, IFEX will feature a symposium on certification for foreign markets, said Mr. Mulato.

Last year, sales of processed food exports rose by a third to $958 million from the previous year’s receipts, bucking the 2.86% fall in total merchandise exports, National Statistics Office data show. Fresh and processed food exports are expected to rise by 25% this year, according to BETP projections as of last February. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa