Filipino coconut exporters, mainly small and medium, fetched $25.7 million in initial sales during their participation at the five-day exhibition Salon International de l’Alimentation Paris (SIAL) in Paris.
The Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau with the support of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Paris and the Center for International Expositions and Mission (CITEM) mounted the Coconut Philippines Pavilion in the recent SIAL Paris 2022 to highlight higher value-added coconut products as part of the approved activities under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).
DTI’s Officer-in-Charge for Trade Promotion, Assistant Secretary Glenn G. Peñaranda said during the Orientation of CFIDP, said the Philippines participation at the SIAL helped fulfill the CFIDP’s mandate and goal to uplift the lives of coconut farmers.
“SIAL Paris 2022 is a launchpad for food innovation, trends, and sustainability. We are glad that through the promotion of Philippine coconut products in the global arena,” said Penaranda.
CFIDP was approved by President Duterte early this year with the aim of uplifting the lives of our coconut farmers.
According to the DTI, there were 13 Philippine enterprises, comprising 26 representatives, showcased their high-value coconut, cacao, coffee, and ubi products.
The delegation was composed mainly of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and supported by the presence of large companies serving as additional anchors to attract the attention of foreign buyers to the Coconut Philippines Pavilion.
The participating companies were Cattleya & Rose Gourmet Foods Trading, Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc. (CPAVI), CocoPlus Aquarian Development Corporation, Fenor Foods International Corp., Hijo Superfoods Inc., Mardak Global Export Inc., Pasciolco Agri Ventures, Peter Paul Philippine Corp., Philippine Craft Distillers Inc., Prosource International Inc., and Unilab Inc. - Sekaya Global.
As the world’s largest exhibition for food innovation, SIAL Paris 2022 has provided a brand-new perspective and holistic approach to the future of the global agri-food industry. It also has provided quality buyers and potential leads for the exporters.
During the opening ceremony of the Coconut Philippines Pavilion, H.E. Junever Mahilum-West, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to France, highlighted the great potential of coconut products in the European market and the participation in the expo was not just a showcase but an integral step to helping local farmers in the Philippines in support for the CFIDP’s goals.
“We all know how important coconut is to the Filipinos and to our farmers. That’s why we are so proud to be part of this exhibit and show the world the coconut products from the Philippines. I was glad to know that many innovative products are made of coconut now, like breakfast cereals and coconut wraps which shows that all your needs for breakfast can come from the coconut. It is also very healthy because it’s plant-based,” Philippine Ambassador Junever Mahilum-West said during her speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Philippine Pavilion.
Madame Christine Fortin, Official Representative for South Asia and Southeast Asia – Department of International Affairs, Ministère de L'Agriculture et de la Souveraineté Alimentaire of France was also present during the opening ceremony and expressed her interest in the diversity of the coconut, cacao, and coffee products.
To further maximize the trade fair participation and the visit to France, meetings with cooperative and benchmarking visits were organized by PTIC-Paris.
The delegation met with two French cooperatives – La Coopération Agricole (LCA), a joint representative body for French agricultural, forestry, agri-food, and agribusiness cooperatives, and Maison du Lait, a joint organization that structures the dairy sector. The exhibitors considered this activity as one of the most informative sessions they had been to through their exposure to French agribusiness and food innovations, as well as a deeper understanding of strategies to support local farmers.
The delegation conducted market scanning and store visits for benchmarking on the latest market retail trends, including packaging and point-of-sale designs, and the positioning of Filipino products in the French market.