Food exporters to participate in World Halal Expo

MANILA, Philippines - Nine food processors will participate in the Halal World Expo in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next week, a press release by the Agriculture department said Thursday. Participating in the Abu Dhabi fair this November 11-13 are AgriNurture, Inc.; Beaches Farms and Trading Corp.; C’Est La Vie Food Phil., Inc.; Florence Foods Corp.; Guaranfood Manufacturing; Q-Phil Products International; RFM Corp.; Sr. Pedro Lechon Manok; and Visayas Chamber of Mango Industry MPC. Philippine-made agricultural products like fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, processed meat and condiments will be promoted and sold in the Expo. "The booming economies in the Middle East offer great potentials for Filipino producers and exporters of halal food items," the statement quoted Clayton A. Olalia, assistant secretary of the Agriculture department, as saying. Global halal market is expected to expand to $500 billion by 2010 from the present $200 billion. Mr. Olalia said the combined food bill of the Middle East grew a hefty 25% from $16 billion in 2006 to $20 billion in 2007, with the UAE alone accounting for $4 billion. The government also eyes re-exporting products from Dubai to various countries in the Middle East and in Africa. "This is a step to open up new markets following the economic meltdown in the United States," Antonio L. Tiu, AgriNurture president and chief executive officer, said in a phone interview. "The Philippines has a comparative advantage when it comes to developing its Halal food industry," Mr. Olalia said. "We are bird flu-free and generally free of foot-and-mouth disease, making us more competitive than other neighboring countries," he explained. In 2006, the Philippines acquired its halal certification from UAE, the top export market of the Philippines in the Middle East and Africa. — Neil Jerome C. Morales, BusinessWorld