PHL joined dessert, snack pavilion in South Korea

In Photo: Philippine company representatives meet with their South Korean counterparts in business-to-business meetings in the Dessert and Snack Pavilion 2017 held at COEX, Seoul, South Korea, from August 15 to 21.

AS a support to the Philippine food sector, in particular the dessert and snack industry, the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in collaboration with the DTI Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC)-Seoul, mounted export-related activities that included participation in the Dessert and Snack Pavilion 2017 held at COEX, Seoul, South Korea, business-to-business  meetings  and market intelligence from August 15 to 21.

The total sales of the Filipino participants, both negotiated and retail, for the three-day event hit 312 percent of its target.

Chief Trade and Industry Development Specialist Rose Marie Castillo of the EMB-Food and Agri-Marine Division said during the courtesy call at the Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul it was the first time the Philippines had joined the Dessert and Snack Pavilion.

Castillo noted the activities of the outbound business-matching mission were aligned with the thrust of the Philippine Export Development Plan 2015-2017, particularly the designing of comprehensive packages of support for selected sectors and exploiting of opportunities presented by regional and preferential trading arrangements to expand market access within existing trade partners explore new trade partners and develop new export products.

The activities under this mission collectively embodied the aspiration of the Regional Interactive Platform for the Philippine Exporters  Plus, i.e., to provide intensified, purposive, and practical assistance geared toward the internationalization of micro, small and medium enterprises.

Raul Hernandez, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Republic of Korea, welcomed the Filipino participants at their office in Seoul during the latter’s courtesy call held on August 16.

The delegation was composed of nine companies, namely, Aretei Foods Corp., Bahaghari Global Food Inc., Ilocos Food Products, La Carlota Food Enterprises, Magic Melt Foods Inc., Monde Nissin Corp., Philippine Food Asia Corp., Republic Biscuit Corp.  and RPO Fine Foods Corp.

Trade and Investments Promotion Group Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado and EMB Director Senen M. Perlada both expressed their appreciation to the unfailing support of Ambassador Hernandez and Commercial Attach? Emmanuel Ang of PTIC-Seoul.

The Korean market for desserts has been expanding rapidly over the past years.  The Republic of South Korea (ROK) is included in the top 25 trading partners of the Philippines, notching the eighth rank.

In 2016 bilateral trade between the Philippines and ROK reached $7.72 billion. Philippine exports to ROK in 2016 was valued at $2.1 billion, from which $200 million constituted the food sector. Bulk of the traded goods of the Philippines was electronics for industries, as well as copper and petroleum.

Still, most of the department’s efforts are directed toward food because the Philippines has the competency to produce quality food products and it is a basic necessity. As for the ROK market, given that they have a small land area for agricultural activity, almost all of their food needs are imported.

By Myrtle Faye L. Solina / Trade-Industry Debelopment specialist DTI-EMB

Link >> https://businessmirror.com.ph/phl-joined-dessert-snack-pavilion-in-south-korea/