The General Manager of the South African Fruit and Vegetables Canners Export Council (SAFVEC), Jill Atwood-Palm, says the Gulfood exhibition, which will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), next week will provide South African companies an opportunity to increase exports globally.

SAFVCA is part of a business delegation of sixteen South African agro-processing companies assisted by the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic) through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme to showcase their products.

The scheme aims to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.

According to Atwood-Palm, South Africa’s trade with the UAE and the region is niche but growing. Dubai, in particular is a promising trade hub for re-exporting into the rest of the Gulf region and beyond.

“As the council, we have an objective of showcasing proudly South African products, build on and meet existing customers throughout the world,” Atwood-Palm said.

“We aim to attract new business leads, benchmark the industry against global competitors, garner market research and information, gain insight into new and developing product innovations and more importantly increase our footprint in the consumer, hospitality and industrial sectors,” she said.

Atwood-Palm said during the Gulfood exhibition, she will be investigating opportunities for re-exporting via the UAE Free Trade Zones and engage with key retailers.

She described Gulfood as a significant show for the industry, in that it is the largest annual food show held globally. It is sector-focused, and it attracts key decision-makers in a form of customers, buyers, distributors and agents.

Atwood-Palm said the export council will be showcasing products that are renowned for premium quality, colour and taste, made in world-class facilities by experienced manufacturers and exporters.

The SA Team at the show will include Rhodes Food Group, Jacobs Jams, Tiger Brands and Dursots.

Gulfood is regarded as the largest food and beverage trade exhibition in the Middle East. It attracts a large number of participants from the region and the world at large. Gulfood 2023 will showcase food and beverage products from around the world.

The Middle East continues to experience a population growth, translating into increasing opportunities for the agro-processing sector, with a market demand of $3 trillion.

Source: South African Government News Agency