Philippine food, healthcare products enter mainstream Arab market

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine food and healthcare products have penetrated the mainstream market in the Middle East and are now experiencing strong demand, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

“This is an opportune time for us as we get to see the local Arabs patronizing Philippine food such as fruits, noodles and sauces which are now conveniently available in major supermarkets and even in small outlets called the Bakalas (community stores),” DTI director of the export marketing bureau Senen Perlada said.

“The opportunities are ripe and it is now for the private sector to take part and leverage on these opportunities ahead of us in the Middle East,” Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Ezzedin Tago added.

DTI said a Philippine delegation is currently in the Middle East for a series of business matching and networking activities in Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam) Bahrain and United Arab Emirates.

The companies include Fresh Consumer Trade and Logistics, Magic Melt Foods Inc., Market Reach International, Monde Nu Agri Corp., Philippine Grocers Food Inc., Pixcel Transglobal Inc., Profood International, Psalmstre Enterprises Inc., Willion International Trading and United Laboratories Inc.

Aside from fresh and processed food, personal care and health products, DTI said the Philippines also intends to promote automotive parts, aviation, information technology and business process management, and medical-related services to the Middle East.

Given the current strong demand for Philippine products in Middle East, Perlada stressed the need for government to safeguard the country’s interest and reputation given the proliferation of fake products from other countries claiming to be made in the Philippines.

DTI said Philippine exports to the Gulf Cooperation Countries have grown at a compound annual rate of 10.53 percent in the last six years, with a value of over $0.4 million as of November 2015.