The importance of Dubai as a key trading hub for the global food industry was highlighted by the arrival of a number of country leaders, government ministers and top level delegations that attended Gulfood 2013, the world’s largest annual food trade show, which took place in late February at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
An unprecedented number of government ministers from countries as far afield as Australia, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Korea, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, the UK and the USA conducted key trade discussions during the opening days of Gulfood 2013. Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, addressed senior delegations on the opening day of the Food Leaders’ Summit.
Attending the Gulf Food 2013 from CSS Group was Roshmon Manoli, Team / Route Development Manager (North America). “Facilitating trade both into and out of the region, Gulfood plays an important role in highlighting opportunities for food exports from the UAE,” he said.
Speaking at the official Gulfood 2013, H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Director General of Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said: “Dubai now plays a pivotal role in the global food industry from a number of perspectives, not least because the city hosts what has become the most important annual food trade event in the world. While Gulfood has attracted more and more exhibitors every year from a growing number of countries, this year’s exhibition welcomed more government ministers and country delegations than ever before. This is a clear indication of the stature and importance of Gulfood in elevating Dubai’s position as the region’s leading gateway for trade between East and West.”
According to the Industrial Bank, the UAE is the third largest re-exporter in the world with more than 70 per cent of its total agricultural imports re-exported annually.
Running from 25 – 28 February 2013, the exhibition hosted a record 4,200 exhibitors from 110 countries showcasing more than 50,000 brands across every sector of the F&B industry. Now in its 18th edition, Gulfood 2013 has increased in size by 13 per cent from last year with the addition of the new Zabeel Pavilion – a purpose-built hall spanning 12,000m² – bringing the exhibition space to a record 113,398m².