Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan al-Khatib said Food Africa 2024 reflects the state’s approach to develop the export sector.
He also lauded the distinguished participation of a large number of countries in the exhibition, a matter that reflects the importance of the exhibition in beefing up trade exchange at the regional and global levels.
This came on the sidelines of the opening of the 9th session of the “Food Africa”, “Fresh Africa” and “Pack Process” exhibition, which will be held during the period from December 3 to 5, at Egypt’s International Exhibition Center, on an area of 45,000 square meters, with the participation of 1,018 companies representing 39 countries, the most prominent of which is Germany, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Poland, Russia, and Turkey as a guest of honor.
Khatib stressed that the exhibition witnesses an increase in the number of exhibitors and participating countries, as well as the number of international buyers, a matter that makes it the second largest exhibition in the region.
This exhibition is a good opportunity to shore up business participation and partnerships across the African continent and the Middle East region, he added.
It is also a favorable opportunity and an important platform to get acquainted with the latest methods and innovations in the food, beverages and packaging sectors, the minister further noted.
This exhibition aims to enhance the successes achieved in food industry exports in recent years, he said.
In 2024, food exports reached about dlrs 4.6 billion by the end of September, achieving a growth rate estimated at nearly 18 percent, compared to exports during the same period in 2023, which amounted to nearly dlrs 3.9 billion, the minister added.
The Arab countries came at the top of the list of countries importing Egyptian food industries during the same period, followed by the EU and non-Arab African countries, and the United States, he further underlined.
