DUBAI, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) strengthened the international presence of the UAE food and beverage sector through the successful participation of its agency, Dubai Industries and Exports, in the 2022 edition of SIAL Paris, the world’s most prominent food and beverage exhibition that attracted over 7,000 exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of visitors from over 200 countries.
The participation of Dubai Industries and Exports in the global event, which was held from 15th to 19th October 2022, was under the umbrella of the UAE pavilion that featured more than 24 local companies. Since 2010, Dubai Industries and Exports has successfully represented and organised the UAE pavilion in the biennial event.
Dubai Industries and Exports shed light on the capabilities and advantages of the export and F&B-manufacturing sectors in Dubai and the UAE and their adoption of the latest international practices and standards. The international event was also an opportunity for DIE to enhance the presence of UAE exports in the European market and position Dubai as a preferred F&B source market for Europe in particular and global markets in general. DIE also sought to connect international buyers and manufacturers with their UAE counterparts to share experiences, opportunities and practices.
Mohammad Ali Al Kamali, Deputy CEO of Dubai Industries and Exports, said, “Dubai is committed to maintaining its position at the forefront of the world’s leading destinations in the export and manufacturing sectors. Our participation in SIAL Paris underpins the local industry sector internationally, presenting its innovative services, advanced environment, and world-class infrastructure (particularly digital infrastructure), supporting future trends in the F&B sector and introducing the international business community to these advantages. F&B is one of the six priority sub-sectors identified in the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, which was announced by the leadership to transform Dubai into a global platform for industries based on knowledge, innovation and sustainability.”
He added, “These exhibitions and forums are important channels to integrate local products into new markets. We constantly hold various meetings with global businesses and work at strengthening sustainable efforts to support the presence of Dubai and UAE products in international markets, in addition to providing guidance, advice and practical support to buyers and suppliers abroad. The pavilion also helped open new channels of communication, opportunities and partnerships towards enhancing Dubai’s status, highlighting its economic competitiveness and expanding its international trade horizons to align it with future developments.”
According to Dubai Customs data the emirate’s foreign trade for the food sector in 2021 grew 11 percent and reached AED57 billion, compared to AED51.4 billion in 2020. Additionally, exports grew by 11.3 percent (AED10.8 billion compared to AED9.7 billion in 2020), while re-exports went up by 10 percent, to AED7.9 billion from AED7.2 billion.
Source: Emirates News Agency