THERE has been an overwhelming response from
local attendees to exhibit at the International Food Exhibition 2013 in Manila,
Philippines according to organisers.
Speaking
to The Brunei Times yesterday, Romleah Juliet P Ocampo, officer-in-charge at
the Agrimarine Division of the Center for International Trade Expositions and
Missions (CITEM) at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the
Philippines, was positive of the reaction from invited guests who had attended
a briefing on participating in IFEX 2013.
"I
think so yes, very, very much, because this is actually only the first time
that we came over to sell the show here in Brunei," affirmed Ocampo, who
said that CITEM has previously tried to sell the show to Brunei last year but
it was only through the embassy.
"The
embassy was able to gather together 15 companies, so now here in this meeting
we have about 27 people and we are really overwhelmed by the response! I think
we will have a bigger representation from Brunei at IFEX next year," she
said.
Ocampo
and representatives from the Philippines Embassy also brought up during their
presentation the importance of making use of the Free Trade Agreements now
running in the ASEAN and BIMP-EAGA regions, including those between Brunei and
the Philippines.
Ocampo
said however, this was not the only factor that contributed to the increased
level of interest in bilateral trade between the two countries.
"It's
important but it's not the only factor here," she said, adding,
"there are actually a lot of factors that affect it number one, I think is
that Brunei is really in need of food imports... You're importing a lot of your
requirements and the Philippines being very near Brunei and having the same
taste preferences in food, and we also have a Muslim community," Ocampo
said.
Philippines
Ambassador to Brunei Nestor Z Ochoa also made a reference to Ocampo's
observations in his welcoming speech, saying both countries have a passion for
food while highlighting the importance of the sector to the Philippines
economy, which accounts for 40 percent of total manufacturing output and
contributes 20 percent of GDP per annum with a growth of eight to ten per cent
yearly.
"You
have an exciting opening to unlock opportunities not just in the Philippine
food industry but also in the rest of Asia by taking part in IFEX 2013 either
as food importers, exporters buyers, or even regulators."
Asked
what will be different about IFEX 2013 that will attract the local participants
to exhibit, Ocampo said "this is the first time that we're going to open
the show up to Asian exhibitors, so it's going to be positioned as a 'Asian
show' where you can find all the bounties of Asia in one location", and
that other previous IFEX shows in other countries had more of an international
feel.
"We
had Europeans, we had Americans, we had everybody there. This IFEX show is
something different, it's more focused on Asia, ASEAN or BIMP-EAGA, so that is
going to be our positioning and I think the world will be excited, because they
are looking at Asia as a very vibrant economy. Our raw materials, our seafood,
our tropical fruits and vegetables, are what they are craving for!"
YING
CHIA
The
Brunei Times
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