Opportunities unfold for Cagayan Valley Region as it ventures into the Middle East market, bannering its export-quality halal-certified food products at the ongoing Gulfood trade show in Dubai. Products from Cagayan Valley are generating new market leads and recording million-dollar sales from international buyers attending the show, considered as the largest annual food & beverage trade show in the Arab region, happening at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 23 February 2024.

Three (3) Region 2 food companies are among the 25 exhibitors from the Philippines that proudly carry their halal- certified products at the Philippine Pavilion located at stand No. R154-198, Sheikh Rashid Hall, World Trade Center. The Philippine delegation is composed of H.E. Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Arab Emirates; Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Executive Director Dr. Edward L. Fereira; Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Ting Que, together with several City Councilors; Mr. Jose Morante, Owner of JBM Food Products; Ms. Ragel Tacazon of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 2; and other officials from CITEM and Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC). Capturing the interest of potential buyers are the Calamansi Herbal Juice Drink and Okra Chips from JBM Food Products of Cabatuan, Isabela; Fresh Frozen Shrimp from Dataj Aquafarm, Inc. of Sta. Teresita, Cagayan; and Rice-Cassava Crackers fromLighthouse Cooperative of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. More than 17 potential buyers have shown serious interest in importing these products, while 4 buyers are now currently in talks with the above mentioned MSMEs and negotiating on a potential sales worth more than 1 million US dollars.

A business-to-business (B2B) matching was also held prior to the opening of the trade show, where a number of international companies made initial orders and expressed their interest in forging partnerships with the MSMEs that could possibly materialize in the coming months.

DTI Region 2, in close coordination with its partner agencies and institutions, remains committed to its thrust of expanding market opportunities for MSMEs locally and globally through participation in various national and international fairs and other market promotion activities. This is the third time that Region 2 has set foot in an overseas fair for the past two years, the first two being the 2023 China ASEAN Expo in Nanning, China and the 2024 Ambiente Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, which were all made possible after years of preparation and capacity building interventions that enabled the region’s MSMEs to confidently venture into foreign markets. ♦

Date of release: 22 February 2024

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