The Emirates is a center for further distribution of goods in these regions
Dubai – Production and export capacities were presented by 14 Serbian companies at the largest and most important specialized exhibition of the food industry in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf of Gulf region, which is being held in Dubai this week.
These are products from fresh and processed, frozen, pasteurized and canned fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen and smoked fish and seafood, then products based on truffles, honey, soups, spices, teas, fruit juices, jams, marmalades.
Aleksandar Bogunović, secretary of the Association for Agriculture of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, which organized the performance of our businessmen, says that this event is visited by about 70,000 people, primarily representatives of retail chains and importers, with about 60 percent coming from the Middle East and 20 percent from Asia. nine percent from Africa, but visitors from Europe and America are also represented.
– Exhibitors from all over the world present goods that are interesting for the Middle East, India and Africa. The Emirates is a center for further distribution of goods in these regions. Our goal is to reach these markets through this fair. Food that reaches this market must be halal certified. What is good is that we are already winning new customers, increasing exports to this part of the world, we are able to meet the standard and slowly position ourselves in retail chains, but not only in those with lower prices but also in more exclusive ones – explains Bogunovic.
He states that this is a very large and strong payment market, which does not have its own food production. They demand high quality, but since all types of kitchens are represented due to tourists, Serbia, as a large producer, certainly has something to offer.
– Our manufacturers can meet the standards. Those who have positioned themselves here have shown that this is not a nightmare and that it is feasible. The experiences we have when it comes to exporting fresh and frozen fruits inspire hope – notes Bogunović.
Zoltan Kormoci, director of the company “Tisa Med”, which already exports to Austria, Denmark, Germany and China, expects to find new customers here.
– We have contracts in the Emirates for the delivery of honey, but this is a place where you can negotiate deals with the whole world – says Kormoci. As particularly good news, he singles out the announcement of a free trade agreement with China, to which they otherwise export and their product is not subject to customs.
Zdenko Klar, from the company “Zdravo organik” from Selenca, states that only one real contact is enough at such fairs and that completely new spheres of business are opened.
– Last year we also exhibited at Galfud. We made about fifty contacts and signed a contract with a company from the Philippines. Just participating in the fair is enough for one such contract. That is how we started with Russia ten years ago, and now there are two trucks a month going to St. Petersburg, from where the goods are further distributed to markets across the country. We are working on a complete EU. We work through Mongolia, the USA and Canada through Germany. Since last year, we have been working in China through our people who live in America and organize the sale of our products in China. The free trade agreement will make our business easier, although our customer pays customs duties there – explains Klar.
”It is a very large and solvent market, which does not have its own food production. They demand high quality, but since all types of kitchens are represented due to tourists, Serbia, as a large producer, certainly has something to offer, says Aleksandar Bogunović, Secretary of the Association of Agriculture of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce”.
On the other hand, “Mlekara Sabac” is still planning to position itself in the Middle and Far East.
– We are negotiating with Iraq and some others. Veterinary certificates were harmonized with the Emirates last year, so we are now in a situation where we can export. We expect a lot and that is why we are here – says Vesna Mitrović, sales director of the dairy, which exports to 17 countries from Russia to America.
Miroljub Jovanovic, the owner of the company “Fruit Company”, which exports fresh fruits, primarily apples, mostly to Russia, our region and India, hopes that he will reach the Emirates after this fair.
– We have already had several promising meetings. Serious companies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai have appeared, which are interested in our fresh fruits. They are looking for mostly modern apple varieties and only premium quality. We can answer that because our plan for the first year is to direct 20 percent of the capacity to the Emirates and India. The export price of premium apples is 65 euro cents – states Jovanović.
Serbian companies from the food sector, which really have something to offer, presented their production programs and export potentials in one of the main halls of the Trade Center Arena, reserved for national pavilions.
This year, 4,000 exhibitors from 120 countries were registered, and in addition to Serbia, companies from Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Tunisia presented themselves within the national pavilions, Saudi Arabia, USA, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, India, Egypt and Japan.
Galfud also has accompanying programs. One of the topics is inflationary pressures, ie how to keep food prices under control. And if they have to raise the prices of their products, how can they ensure that it does not harm consumers in the end? Because, all over the world, food prices are rising, and the food price index of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is getting closer to the peak from 2011.
Inflationary pressures are re-emerging in the prices of key food products, whether it is rice or milk, or any other food product that ends up on supermarket shelves and dining tables. These underwater currents in the global food sector are a topic discussed at Galfud.
Then the United Arab Emirates took the lead in solving global problems by launching Galfud Zero Garbage Global Campaign in partnership with restaurants and hotels. The latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations show that one third of the world’s food is thrown away, which amounts to 1.3 billion tons per year at a cost of one billion dollars. In addition to the harmful impact on the environment, waste also results in the loss of nutrients and resources such as water, land, labor, energy and costs invested in food production.
Galfud has a reputation for being a springboard for new trends in industry, technology, bio-innovation, e-commerce, Politika writes.
