Dubai Export Development Corporation (EDC), an agency of the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED), Government of Dubai, aims to strengthen UAE food exports during the sidelines of the inaugural Gulfood Conference at the 15th edition of the Gulfood Exhibition, the Middle East’s largest food, drink, foodservice and hospitality exhibition.
Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the Gulfood Exhibition serves as a perfect venue for EDC to showcase the exports and value-added services provided to UAE companies in the food sector. Dubai food products are currently being exported to over 130 countries and there are various foreign market opportunities available to this growing sector.
The main keynote speech of the Gulfood Conference was given by Engineer Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, EDC, which he tackled the importance of entering new exciting export markets and the number of foreign companies aiming to capitalise on Dubai’s infrastructure advantages to capture regional business opportunities.  The four-day conference and knowledge exchange forum will offer delegates unprecedented access to the experts, analysts and visionaries who are shaping the business and developing the marketing strategies that will lead food, beverage and hospitality businesses into the next decade.
“As a regional forerunner in assisting and facilitating exporters, EDC prides itself in creating an enabling environment for exports and enhancing the competitiveness of Dubai as a preferred trading partner. Our strategic partnership with Dubai World Trade Centre opened doors for our members to participate in world class exhibitions such as the Big 5 Exhibition and the Gulfood Exhibition.
“Among our main objectives is to create an ideal exporting environment for our local companies to expand and export their products outside the UAE. The Gulfood Conference not only serves as a networking occasion for our companies from the food sector, but they are also given the chance to hear from experts and analysts who are shaping the business and developing the marketing strategies contributory to the food sector’s success in the next decade,†said Engineer Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Export Development Corporation.
Among the topics presented in the Gulfood Conference are the global trends in food, beverage & processing; regulatory legislation and regional expansion opportunities. Through this event, local companies from the food sector will have an advantage of exchanging the newest technologies available with thousands of regional and international companies participating at the event. This opportunity allows them to open possible new markets for their products and services.
The total main exports products from Dubai was worth AED60.3 billion in 2008, wherein 7 per cent were comprised of prepared foodstuffs. The top food products exported was Sugars and Sugar Confectionery wherein it posted AED1.1 billion and 40 per cent was imported by Pakistan while 26 per cent went to Iraq. Products such as Cocoa and Cocoa Preparations had 42 per cent being exported to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the GCC and the Levant areas, while 22 per cent of Animal or Vegetable fats, Oils and Waxes went to Afghanistan.
Dubai’s exports of Preparations of Meat, of Fish of Crustaceans and Molluscs also reached as far as the USA (25 per cent) followed by Afghanistan with 21 per cent and Djibouti with 16 per cent. The Preparations of Cereals, Flour, Starch, Milk, Pastry cooks were being exported to countries such as Angola, Yemen, South Africa, Somalia, Mozambique, Morocco, the USA, Afghanistan, Sudan and Ghana.
This year’s Gulfood Exhibition, happening on 21-24 February at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will witness the latest trends and innovations, and hundreds of product launches from every corner of the Middle East, North Africa and Indian Sub-Continent.
