KARACHI: The second International Food and Agriculture Exhibition concluded at the Karachi Expo Centre with more than $1.2 billion worth of deals.

The three-day FoodAg event was participated by more than 800 buyers from 75 countries while 330 exporters exhibited around 500 quality products at the event.

International chain stores, buyers and multinational companies visited the exhibition. The largest participation was from China comprising 150-plus buyers.

As result of 7,000 business-to-business meetings, deals worth $1.2bn were finalised, besides signing of more than 36 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) mainly in rice, processed food, seafood, kinnow, potato, lentils, chickpeas, mangoes, confectionery, meat, food and beverages, spices, cereals and oil seeds by China, Malaysia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Gambia and France.

Over 800 buyers from 75 countries participated in FoodAg; 330 exporters exhibited 500 products

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Zubair Motiwalla said the estimated export orders of $1.2bn will complement the export target set by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his inaugural speech at FoodAg event.

Furthermore, FoodAg Manufacturing planned in December in Lahore will provide assistance in value addition and mechanised farming, he said, adding that the recent growth and development in the agriculture sector will bring about next green revolution in the country.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce, $35 million worth of export contracts were signed between Pakistani and Chinese companies in the seafood sector. Additionally, several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and investment interests were expressed by various companies, including HVA (dairy investment), Bolynta (potato seeds from the Netherlands), Huiyuan Beverages and Food Group (China), and METAS (Qatar).

A delegation from Malaysia visited the Fish Harbour and Pakistan Sugar Mills Association’s Sindh office, while Egyptian, Tajikistan and Malaysian delegates visited Tata Foods, Malaysian departments of BERNAS, DG MAQIS, and Department of Veterinary Sciences for finalising the export orders.

Japanese and Malaysian delegates visited Rehmate Shereen, delegates from Jordan and Egypt visited Organic Meat, and delegates from Argentina, Peru and Uruguay visited KK Rice Mill for the same purpose.

A Global Cuisine show was also organised by the TDAP, where culinary artists from around the world prepared exceptional dishes using Pakistani ingredients, further enhancing the essence of the event.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2024