COTABATO CITY – Various products from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were showcased during the 2015 International Food Exhibition (IFEX) held from May 21 to 24 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.
The Royal Coffee and Coco Sugar both from Sulu, Mt. Kalatungan banana, pineapple from Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, and the “Hot moro, Hot chili” of Tawi-Tawi were among the almost 700 exporters from different countries that shared the limelight during the event.
Dr. Susana Anayatin, chief of technical management services of the Department of Trade and Industry in ARMM said the region’s entry in the IFEX was a big step for both the products and the region.
She said the agency is offering technical assistance on product development to further assist the exhibitors.
“We are helping our exhibitors in terms of packaging, labelling, promotion, and marketing,” said Anayatin.
“We are also facilitating the accreditation of the products at the Bureau of Food and Drugs so that producers will have an easy access to both national and international markets,” she added.
Hadji Faisal Malande, general manager of the company that produces “Hot moro, Hot chilli,” said they were overjoyed for the display of their product in the IFEX. He further said it is a significant achievement for a small community in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi to join an international food exhibition.
“We are looking forward for our industry to expand because many farmers will also benefit with our success,” he said.
Malande said the company is now working on putting its product on the shelves of supermarkets and other retail outlets nationwide.
As of date, two companies from Manila and Pagadian City (Zamboanga del Sur) have already agreed to distribute the brand, he said.
IFEX is a parallel activity of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, which will be hosted by the government of the Philippines this year.
The food exhibition aims at promoting Philippine export products to the world through various tools such as trade exhibits, selling missions and international trade fairs. The event attracted participants from different regions worldwide, such as Asia-Pacific, Middle-East, North America and Europe. This year, IFEX was focused on fresh, semi-processed food and allied industries. (Bureau of Public Information)
20
