GOVPH

CIIE side forum tracks growth of PH-China food and agri trade; sees sustained uptick

SHANGHAI – The Philippines is well-positioned to be a major source of China’s food imports, according to the Philippines-China Food Cooperation and Business Forum held on 7 November 2022, on the sidelines of the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s largest import-themed exhibition.

Organized by the Bank of China (BOC), the Forum gave attendees an overview of the overall healthy state and exciting prospects of trade in food products and agricultural goods between the Philippines and China.

Mr. Cao Derong, President of the China Chamber of Commerce of Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA), identified fruits and related preparations; vegetable oils; and aquatic and marine products as China’s chief food imports from the Philippines.

CFNA data showed that last year, China imported 847,000 tons (+4.5% y.o.y.) worth USD 490M (+8.3%) from the Philippines. Pineapple imports hit 184,000 tons (+15.6%) worth USD 130M (+20.1%), while coconut oil imports reached 44,000 tons (+0.1%) worth USD 77M (+77.3%)

“The Philippines is as much occupied with value and quality as we are with volume”, said Philippine Consul General Josel F. Ignacio in keynote remarks. “China is now a moderately prosperous society. Philippine food enterprises are just as focused on matching the constant upgrade in consumer tastes and trends in China”.

Mr. Larry A. Chan, President of Liwayway China Company Ltd. of Shanghaojia (Oishi) fame, delivered remarks on the Philippine snack company’s growth and plans.

Validating the rosy prospects emerging from the Forum, attendees witnessed the ceremonial presentation of a number of purchase agreements sealed at the Expo between Chinese buyers and Philippine CIIE exhibitors, as well as of cooperation Agreements between the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau and the CFNA and SFA on the Chinese side..

Also gracing the event were Mr. NING Feng, President of the National Convention and Exhibition Center and representative of the CIIE Bureau; Mr. GAO Kemin, Vice President of the Shanghai Food Association; and Ms. LIU Yan, Deputy GM of BOC-Shanghai.

With Consul General Ignacio in the Philippine team were Agricultural Counsellor Ana GM B. Abejuela, Commercial Counsellor Emmanuel N. Ang, Commercial Vice Consul Mario C. Tani, CITEM Business Representative Raymond Tan, and DTI-Export Marketing Bureau Senior Specialist Heizle U. Trasmañas. END

Team Philippines, Chinese produce giant GOODFARMER discuss boost in PH fruit imports

Chinese Demand for Imported Fruit Rising

SHANGHAI – Goodfarmer Foods Holding (Group) Co. Ltd., one of China’s leading fruit and fresh produce traders, is keen to boost its fruit imports from the Philippines, including breaking other Philippine fruits into the Chinese market.

This was the gist of discussions between Goodfarmer executives and a team of Philippine officials that visited the firm’s sprawling warehouse near the coastal area of Shanghai’s Fengxian District. The warehouse operation is run by the firm’s logistics arm, Shanghai Goodfarmer Logistics Distribution Co. Ltd.Led by Philippine Consul General in Shanghai Josel F. Ignacio, the visiting team included Agriculture Counsellor (Beijing) Ana GM B. Abejuela, Philippine Trade and Investment Center (Shanghai) Chief Mario C. Tani, Consul Francis M. Herrera, CITEM Business Representative Raymond Tan, DTI-Export Marketing Bureau Specialists Ms. Heizle Trasmañas, Christine Grace C. Victoria, and Raiza A. Caybot, and Ms. Forrina SUN.

They were warmly received by no less than Goodfarmer’s Founder and CEO LIU Zijie, General Manager (GM) Eric ZHENG, GM David XU, GM FENG Jicheng, Director Alex Zhou, and GM Michael LI of the company’s Davao operation, Goodfarmer Fresh Fruit Trading Corp.

The Philippine officials were toured by CEO Liu around the warehouse and shown the company’s state-of-the art refrigeration, ripening, packing, quality control systems and other processes.

From its origins as a garlic and ginger exporter in 2002, the company has since expanded to importing bananas, young coconut, pineapples, papaya, dragon fruit, kiwi, oranges, avocados and durian, among others. Its top imports from the Philippines are Cavendish bananas and pineapples, in a relationship dating back to 2011.

Goodfarmer is keen on increasing the volume of its Philippine banana and pineapple imports, of which it ships about 120 and 80 containers weekly. The firm seeks to expand its Philippine supplier network and is also looking to adding Philippine durian to its menu, once Chinese market access approval is obtained.

The visiting Philippine officials assured Goodfarmer of support. Both sides also exchanged ideas on expanding the relationship to cover dried and frozen foods, as well as other items for Goodfarmer’s nascent line of juices and other fruit-based products. END

Food Philippines Pavilion lures buyers, hefty deals at world’s biggest import expo

PH SPECIALTY COFFEE AND COCONUT MAKE BIG SPLASH AT CIIE

SHANGHAI – The Philippines’ food products and island flavors again took center stage at the world’s largest import-themed trade event, as buyers and consumers trooped to the Food Philippines Pavilion at the 5^th China International Import Expo (CIIE) running from 5 to 10 November.

Although fully open from Day 1, Food Philippines was formally inaugurated in simple rites on 06 November. Philippine delegation head Consul General Josel F. Ignacio, Liwayway China Co. Ltd. (Oishi) President Larry Chan, and the guest of honor, Chinese Ministry of Commerce Deputy Director General Ran Deyan did the ribbon-cutting and delivered remarks.

DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual also delivered videotaped greetings, underscoring the Philippines’ presence at the CIIE as a “practical response to opportunity, an imperative to expand our international market”. The Secretary invited Chinese investors to seize opportunities in the Philippines and Chinese traders to ramp up imports, with the country as reliable partner and supplier.

Attesting to Food Philippines’ track record of success at the CIIE, this year’s Pavilion occupied its largest floor space yet at 168 sqm., featuring products from a record 62 Philippine exhibitors.

Philippine specialty coffee made a grand entrance as the Pavilion ran its first-ever coffee nook, where guests tried various brews and cocktails using coffee from the Cordilleras, Northern and Southern Luzon, and Mindanao.

Philippine Coconut was also given its well-deserved spotlight with Food Pavilion devoting almost a third of its space to a Coconut Philippines pavilion dedicated to coconut-derived goods.

For the second straight year, Food Philippines stood side-by-side with the colorful pavilion of Oishi – popularly known in China as Shanghaojia – of PH global food player Liwayway China Co. Ltd.

Cross-exhibit traffic was lively and heavy, as joint promotional activities and games between the two Pavilions enticed throngs of visitors.

Rounding off the Philippine official delegation were Deputy Consul General Marlowe A. Miranda, Consul John Francis S. Herrera, PTIC-Beijing Commercial Counselor Emmanuel Niño W. Ang, CITEM Business Representative Raymond Tan, and DTI-Export Marketing Bureau Specialists Ms. Heizle Trasmañas, Christine Grace C. Victoria, and Raiza A. Caybot. Also in attendance were Consular Attachés Jeannie F. Petrola, Jennifer M. Ranches and Mark Geguera, and Foreign Tourism Officer Warren S. Palacio.

2022 marked the Philippines’ fifth straight participation in the Expo, a centerpiece economic event in Shanghai and indeed China’s annual calendar. In 2021, the Philippines netted over US$ 590 million in purchases at the CIIE. END