CHENNAI: As the global financial crunch bites here, there and everywhere not sparing even the Indian food processing and agricultural sector, international trade fairs are trying to attract exhibitors and visitors from India to enable them to boost sales of Indian merchandise abroad.
GPE Global Produce Events GmbH, a joint venture company, is busy wooing Indian stakeholders to take part in a three-day global fair – the Asia Fruit Logistica at Hong kong to be held from September 2 to 4.
Gerald Lamusse, who is currently visiting India to enlist participation, pointed out that there was huge opportunity for Indian exporters of fresh vegetables and fruits. “There are buyers looking for Indian products. India needs to be at the Hong kong fair to supply to the South East Asian market,” Lamusse said, adding that India faced enormous challenges to establish infrastructure to boost agricultural and processed products.
Lamusse, who has been very much part of the Fruit Logistica held in Berlin since 1993, said he was impressed by Brazil whose exporters supported by government machinery surveyed market needs and then targeted them.
Pointing out that India’s grape industry had made impressive gains in The European market, Lamusse said that opportunities were there to expand sales to new markets and push new products, which can be tapped only by participating in global fairs.
India’s food export growth in agricultural and processed food products was expected to shrink by 20 per cent during FY 2008-09.
In FY 2007-08, agricultural exports stood at $7.9 billion and the current fiscal could end with total exports of under $10 billion, which is just 6-7 per cent of the country’s total exports.
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
The country exported fresh fruits and vegetables to the value of Rs 2,437.12 crore in 2007-08, mainly to neighbouring countries.
Source : www.expressbuzz.com