CITEM Executive Director Rosvi C. Gaetos said mangoes, Cavendish bananas, golden pineapples, coconut sugar and coconut water topped the Philippine fruit exports that drew trade inquiries at Singapore’s Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) 2012 and posted US$8.54 million in total sales (on site and under negotiation)
“FHA drew over 40,000 trade visitors from 91 countries worldwide, enabling us to generate more trade inquiries than we had expected. Even our Philippine-grown Japanese rice elicited significant market interest,” Gaetos said.
Most of the trade visitors came from the airline, cruise, and rail food service; hotel, restaurant and catering; hospitality consulting and hotels; supermarkets and groceries; and industrial sectors.
With CITEM at the expo were 10 Filipino firms, all successfully projecting the Philippines as a reliable year-round source of fresh, natural, Halal-certified and flavorful food products.
“They (Filipino exhibitors) are mostly small and medium-scale manufacturers since CITEM’s programs are geared for those who need promotional assistance to make them product- and market-ready,”
Of the entire world market, Philippine mangoes account for 3.6 percent, and pineapple 9.57 percent, DTI records show.
In 2006, the Philippines was among the world’s top four banana-exporting countries accounting for an aggregate 64 percent.
The Philippine Pavilion at the Singapore expo was organized by CITEM, and was visited by Trade Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio, Philippine Ambassador Minda Cruz, Consul Catherine Torres, and Attache Carol Constantino.
CITEM is also the organizer of the biennial IFEX Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food and ingredients show. The next IFEX Philippines will be held on May 16 to 19, 2013 at the SMX Convention Center.
