Manila City, Philippines—The Philippines’ business mission to the Middle East generated USD 27.28 million in export sales from February 7 to 21. This achievement marks the first major initiative following the newly signed memorandum of agreement on Agriculture and Fisheries Export Development and Promotion between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The mission aimed to enhance market opportunities and strengthen trade partnerships for Philippine agricultural, fisheries, and personal care exports in key markets like Doha, Amman, Riyadh, and Dubai.

To accomplish this, Filipino exporters engaged with buyers, distributors, and industry leaders through a series of activities, including store visits, supplier meetings, and business-matching sessions.

The delegation also participated in Gulfood 2025, which provided a platform to discuss market entry and compliance matters with the Qatar Ministry of Public Health and the Dubai Municipality.

On top of this, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration and the Jordan Ministry of Agriculture further expressed a strong interest in sourcing additional Philippine marine products and tropical fruits, opening avenues for growth in non-traditional export markets.

“The success we have seen in the business mission reflects the growing global recognition of the quality and competitiveness of Philippine agri-fishery and consumer products. As we continue to forge stronger connections with key markets in this region, we are laying the groundwork for sustained growth and long-term success for our exporters that ensure our local export goods remain in high demand worldwide,” said DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque.

“The business-to-business (B2B) meetings provided us with valuable insights into our operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  We realized that our current business structure for marketing our products is no longer adaptable to the area’s current setup. We have also identified other markets to explore, which has helped us recognize avenues for growth,” shared HDR Foods Corp’s Aris Unson.

“Through the B2B, we were able to discuss our concerns with our distributor, including the marketing strategies we wanted to implement. HDR Foods is hopeful that, after the B2B activities, our products will have a greater presence across the UAE,” Unson added.

The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. supported the mission organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Centers in Riyadh and Dubai in coordination with the region’s Philippine Embassies under the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Participating companies included Axelum Resources Corp., C and H Cosmetics Industry Daila Wholesale LLC., Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc., Dry Tech Manufacturing Corp., Ferino’s Bibingka, Fisherfarms, Inc., Global Foodsolutions, Inc., Golden Arrow Food Enterprises, Gwen’s Bakeshop, HDR Foods Corporation, International Pharmaceuticals, Inc., KKK Food Corporation, Kwality Philfood Inc., La Carlota Food Enterprise, Market Reach International Resources, McCormick Philippines, Mensch FilAm Corporation, Pixcel Transglobal Foods Inc., RPO Fine Foods Corporation, Sabroso Chocolate Manufacturing, SL Agritech Corporation, Sterling Pacific Ventures Corp., Sumifru Philippines Corporation, and The Cabalen Group.

For inquiries regarding Philippine exports, send an email to the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau at exports@dti.gov.ph or visit tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph. ♦

Date of Release: 21 March 2025

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