Local firms, Arab businesspeople to meet at giant food expo next month

Around 1,500 businesspeople from 15 Arab countries are set to come together with more than 200 Turkish companies at the 6th Turkish-Arab Food and Food Technologies Expo in an effort to increase the market share of Turkish companies in Arab countries, which are dependent on foreign countries in terms of food and agriculture.

The two-day major event will be taking place on April 24-26 in Istanbul with the support of the Turkish-Arab Countries Business Association (TÜRAP).

Sabuhi Attar, the director-general of TÜRAP, said the 6th Turkish-Arab Food and Food Technologies Expo, the 4th Turkish-Arab Agriculture and Agricultural Technologies Expo, and the 3rd Turkish-Arab Hotel, Restaurant, Cafe, Bakery, Hospitality & Accommodation Equipment and Technologies Expo, will all simultaneously host leading companies from the sector and create cooperation opportunities in this regard.

Attar stressed that one of the best sectors introducing Turkey to Arab consumers is food and agriculture, stressing these initiatives will create a great vitality for the region. "Therefore, our goal is to introduce these projects in the best way and bring Arab businesspeople to Turkey," he said. "Within the scope of the exhibition program, we will host 1500 business people, mostly Arabs, in Turkey and 200 Turkish companies will participate in this event."

He also pointed to the inadequate trade figures between Turkey and the Arab world, suggesting this level should be exceeded. "Arab countries achieve at least 80 percent in food imports. Turkey's share in this market is only 5 percent but we raise this figure every year thanks to the exhibitions," he said, indicating that because of the fair, the trade volume between Turkey and Arab countries will surge by 200 percent.

Commenting on the Arabs' interest in Turkish products, Attar said even though it is more than a month away, 7,000 Arab business people have already made applications.

"We are working meticulously for the best of the industry to participate. Our aim is to offer quality. We pay regard to coordination with Turkish authorities. We will also meet with the Agriculture Minister and inform him about the exhibition," Attar continued. "The exhibition is important for both Turkey and the Arab world. We see this as a meeting point, rather than just a fair. With this economic summit, we provide all kinds of support to Arab business people and continue this support in both Turkey and the Arab countries."

He further highlighted that Turkish business people will have the opportunity to get to know the Arab food market closely with this fair as well, adding especially the European countries, which try to enter the Arab market, have a number of promotion activities in this scope. "The exhibition is a very important opportunity for Turkey to take steps in this direction. The products produced in Turkey are both halal and high quality. However, it is a major shortcoming for them to not take part in the Arab market," he concluded.