PH active participation
in 5th CIIE showcases strength of the Philippines’ food exports to
China
By
DTI-Foreign Trade Service Corps
November 28, 2022
SHANGHAI, China – The
Philippines once more showcased the strength of its food exports to
China through a highly successful participation in China’s largest
import-themed trade show – China International Import Expo (CIIE),
held in Shanghai on 5 to 10 November, 2022.
In his remarks during the
opening of the CIIE, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Secretary Fred Pascual stated that “The Philippines’ participation
in CIIE has become not only a practical response to opportunity, but
an imperative to expand our international market, cement the
Philippines’ reputation as a reliable sourcing destination for food,
and introduce more quality food products into China’s mainstream
markets.”
The Trade Chief further
mentioned that “The DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) has also
provided the much-needed tools in upskilling our exporters to be
fully equipped to join this exposition. We have also partnered with
the private sector through Liwayway China, which carries the highly
renowned “Oishi” brand – a brand that is deeply cherished with fond
memories both in the Philippines and in China, and a testament that
quality products can truly be a bridge that connects our country,
and our people.”
The Country’s
participation is supported by the Philippine Trade and Investment
Center (PTIC) in Shanghai, Center for International Trade
Expositions and Missions (CITEM), Philippine Consulate General in
Shanghai, and in partnership with our Department of Agriculture’s
Office of the Agriculture Counsellor (OAC) in Beijing.
Additionally, the DTI,
through its Trade Promotions Group (TPG) and the EMB also formed
strategic linkages via signed cooperation intentions with 2 of
China’s largest food chambers – the Beijing based China Chamber of
Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) and the Shanghai
Food Association (SFA). With both chambers having a combined number
of 7,500 member companies, these cooperation arrangements will be
vital to enhance cooperation between food exporters in the
Philippines and Chinese food companies in areas of business
matching, technical cooperation, and investments to boost capacities
in food production.
TPG OIC, Assistant
Secretary Glenn Peñaranda affirmed the importance of these
agreements and commented that “We value the partnership with CFNA
and SFA as we pursue increased collaboration in enhancing food
trade. We hope that this can progress to deeper collaboration in the
whole value chain in food production, processing, and marketing”.
Likewise, PTIC Shanghai
Head Mario C. Tani said, “The amount of products we export to China
has vastly increased in the past five to six years, and sales were
five times larger compared to the first time the Philippines has
participated in the 2018 CIIE."
For this year’s CIIE, due
to strict travel restrictions still in place related to China’s
Zero-Covid Policy approach, the official Philippine delegation was
physically led by the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai as
represented by Consul General Jose Ignacio. In the official pavilion
opening at Shanghai’s enormous 500,000 sqm National Exhibition and
Convention Center (NECC), CG Ignacio stressed in his message that
“What is constant is that the FOOD PHILIPPINES Pavilion’s central
message - “healthy and fresh”, as only food products from the
Philippines can offer, bar none, and as devoted and new buyers and
importers alike can strongly attest to.”
At the forefront of the
CIIE “FOOD PHILIPPINES” Pavilion design and conceptualization, CITEM
presented this year a unified one-country promotional approach
featuring three brands – “FOOD PHILIPPINES”, “COCONUT PHILIPPINES”,
and the famous “Oishi” brand by Liwayway China, with a single
storyline – a call to experience a “Festival of Island Flavors”.
For the first time,
several Philippine coconut products were on display at the Coconut
Philippines Pavilion. The Country is known worldwide to be a major
producer and supplier of coconut oil, and the exhibits did not only
showcase coconut oil in various forms, but also other innovative
products made from coconut – the tree of life.
A key partner for the CIIE, the Department of Agriculture (DA),
through the OAC in Beijing, also highlighted new and exciting
products featured in this year’s expo, namely Philippine specialty
coffee, and innovative coconut-based products.
Agriculture Counsellor Ana Abejuela reiterated the need to sustain
the good momentum of the Philippines' agricultural exports to China.
“The Philippines is already the top exporter of tropical fruits such
as bananas and pineapples to mainland China. We must sustain this
momentum by introducing even more innovative and exciting products
through the CIIE such as PH specialty coffee and where to introduce
this best but in the city known to be the coffee capital of
China – Shanghai, and at the largest import expo – CIIE.” The Philippine
specialty coffee brands were well received by coffee aficionados in
both offsite and onsite tasting events.
With a record high of 62 food and food-related exporting companies
from the Philippines, total sales recorded from this year’s
participation reached USD655.15 million (exact amount:
USD655,145,756.02), the highest yield recorded for a Philippine
country participation anywhere in the world for the year, and the
highest sales generated from the CIIE, since its inception in 2018.
Of this total amount, 97% came from onsite sales and bulk purchase
contracts, with 3% coming from online business matching activities.
In 2018, the CIIE was launched as one of China’s major trade
promotion initiatives and was supported by Chinese President Xi
Jinping who attended the first 2 editions in 2018 and 2019 in
Shanghai. The Philippines registered sales of USD128 million in 2018
and USD256 million in 2019. Despite the pandemic, increased sales
were generated both in 2020 and 2021.