DOHA: The International Perishables Expo Middle East (WOP 2013), running from November 17 to 19, 2013 in Dubai will offer an ideal venue to explore business opportunities as well as discuss best technologies surrounding the flourishing trade of fresh edible food.
Organised by planetfair LLC, the fifth edition of WOP Dubai – the GCC’s only dedicated exhibition for fresh edible food - will discuss the growing market opportunities in Qatar. The event is expected to attract more than 7,000 visitors from around the world, in addition to over 130 exhibitors from 20 exhibiting countries coming from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, GCC, the Middle East and the Americas.
The organisers said yesterday that the total value of fresh produce import to Qatar has reached $58m in 2012. The Middle East import of the fresh produce reached 4.1 percent from the total world imports in 2012 with $4.2bn where GCC alone shared 54 percent from the total imports of the Middle East with $ 2.2bn. In 2012, the UAE alone accounted for $1.145bn of GCC’s total fresh produce import, with Saudi Arabia at second place with $825m and Kuwait third with $164m. Oman, Qatar and Bahrain contributed $58m, $57m and $43mrespectively.
Tarek Sibai, Project Manager, planetfair, said: “Import of fresh edible produce to the Qatar have seen an upward trend and this could be attributed to the combination of the growing population in the region, increasing consumer demand for fresh ingredients and rising trend for healthy eating.
“By hosting the GCC’s only dedicated exhibition for fresh edible food, we have provided a platform to people in the fresh produce sector to meet industry experts to learn about innovative trends, express their concerns and explore new markets.”
With 10 official participating pavilions, this year WOP Dubai will see a substantial increase in space along with more services options.
The fresh produce expo will run concurrently with its sister event, 2013 International Plants Expo Middle East (IPM), the only international horticultural trade show in the Middle East.
The annual WOP Dubai International Perishables Expo Middle East is the dedicated exhibition for fresh fruits and vegetables show in the Middle East.
The Peninsula
