THE 19th International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines generated P5.05 billion in combined sales in its three-day run last month, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) announced Monday.
Held May 21 to 23 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the country’s biggest export-oriented food expo drew nearly 20,000 visitors and over 520 exhibitors showcasing tropical food products and ingredients.
Based on partial data, the event yielded an estimated $80.16 million in export sales, P50.69 million in domestic sales, and P27 million in retail sales.
The United States topped the list of visiting countries, followed by Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, and Australia.
Citem Executive Director Leah Pulido Ocampo credited the results to stronger execution and an aggressive buyer campaign conducted with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Foreign Trade Service Corps, which she said helped offset headwinds from ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
“Through strategic partnerships, we effectively countered the negative effects that geopolitical tensions could have otherwise imposed on our export momentum,” Ocampo said.
The results are expected to boost confidence in product development and trade programs, and encourage more micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to scale and pursue global market opportunities, said Citem, the export-promotion arm of DTI.
