RP food exporters fare well in Japan food fair

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino food exporters can now explore new niches in the international food market now after successfully participating in the recently concluded Foodex Japan 2010, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said.

Philippine marine products such as octopus, akegai (nylon shell shellfish) and takoyaki (octopus balls), along with coconut-derived products, generated high interest from Japanese buyers, CITEM said.

The Philippines is one of the main country pavilions that attracted buyers and visitors from various countries across the globe. Other countries that participated in the food fair were France, Germany, Canada, Egypt, Turkey, China, Malaysia, Austria, Spain and Italy.

The Philippine participation in Foodex is co-funded by CITEM, Department of Agriculture Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), and the Export Development Council. 

Japan is the country’s second largest export market, next to the United States. Philippine exports to Japan include fresh mangoes and vegetables, processed foods like dried fruits, tropical fruit juices, and marine products like tuna.

The 17 local food manufacturers and exporters who joined the Philippine delegation generated more than $7 million in negotiated export sales during the four-day event.  

Foodex Japan was participated in by 2,400 exhibitors from 65 countries and regions and visited by 70,000 buyers. The event is a platform for the movers and players of the global food industry, offering key opportunities and business possibilities to capture not only the Asian but the global food market as a whole.

“This is our first time to join Foodex and it’s an overwhelming experience for us because of the positive feedback not only from Japanese buyers but also buyers from Canada and the United States,” said Cel Barba, marketing manager of Pro Source International. ProSource is a dedicated exporter that delivers the best coconut-derived items worldwide while also providing employment to Filipino farmers. 

“Buyers were amazed by the taste and the healthy attributes of our coco sugar,” she added. Other products presented by ProSource were virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut and coconut milk.  

Coco sugar has an all-natural content, making it a healthy sweetener alternative among health and wellness enthusiasts. Extracted from the sap of an unopened coconut flower, this organic variety has superior health benefits over ordinary sugar.