DTI intensifies food export promotions in the Middle East

 By Nelly Dillera with reports from DTI-TIIC

The Metro Kidapawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry represented by Dr. Ramon Floresta, DVM, owner of RNF Summit Industries recently participated in an outbound mission to the Middle East organized by the Department of Trade & Industry.

    The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pressing for more export promotion  activities in the Middle  East to take advantage of the region’s continued economic growth. Promotional activities include in-store promotions, food festivals, exchange visits, trade fair participation, and strengthening of trade ties through
bilateral agreements.

    DTI Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino led recently a food exposition mission in various cities in the Middle East, accompanying the head of the National Halal Accreditation Board of the Philippines and six food exporters, which are considered small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

    The mission covered Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

    Some $558,500 in sales was gained from the mission, aside from making known the progress in the country’s halal certification program, particularly the adoption of a Philippine National Standards (PNS) for Halal and the establishment of a National Halal Accreditation Board.

     The mission also opened opportunities for promoting other Philippine products such as furniture and furnishings, holiday décor, and other consumer products.

    The Middle East market remains attractive for Philippine food products mainly due to the presence of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). KSA has roughly about 1.6M Filipinos, UAE, 320,000, and; Kuwait, 130,000.

    Other participating companies were Marigold Commodities (Mama Sita brand of sauces and condiments); Marikina Food Corp. (Hobe noodles);  Moondish Foods Corporation (coconut-based canned vegetables like Laing );   Chef Tony’s Snack Food International (caramelized popcorn and snack foods); Pacific Isles International; Trading, Inc. (processed;food products).