Morocco had a very successful participation at the recently concluded Gulfood 2017 in Dubai, with more than 50 companies from the country taking part in the show.

Morocco joined the show for the seventh consecutive year this time and took an exhibition space of 604 sq m divided into three halls -- World Food; Pulses, Grains and Cereals; and Oils and Fats.

The Moroccan pavilion showcased the wealth of the country’s exportable offerings through a diverse range of agri-food products (olive oil, argan oil, sauces, preserved olives, condiments, canned fish, couscous and pasta, spices, aromatic plants, tea, sugar, confectionery and chocolate, fruit juice, cheese, etc.).

Organised by the Food Exports Control and Coordination Organization (Etablissement Autonome de Contrôle et de Coordination des Exportations, EACCE), under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries, Morocco’s participation stood out for the quality of the offerings.

The Gulfood exhibition is considered one of the most important trade shows in the food and beverage industry, constituting a key forum to meet global buyers of the agri-food industry, said a spokesperson.

Morocco’s participation aimed to achieve the following objectives:
• Promote the Morocco origin products and highlight the quality and the diversity of Moroccan agri-food products;
• Provide information on these products and their competitive advantages in order to strengthen their position on the international market;
• Seize the opportunity offered by the presence of key players of the industry to build new partnerships and conquer new markets;
• Emphasise the potentialities, achievements and growth prospects of this sector.

The UAE constitutes a trade platform for agri-food products in the Gulf region and is also considered as a key re-export hub for the West African and Asia- Pacific markets, the statement said.

In April 2008, the Moroccan government adopted the “Green Morocco Plan” in order to jump-start the agricultural sector.  The objective of this policy was to promote the agricultural sector’s potential to make it a main growth driver of the national economy in the next 10 to 15 years.

Morocco has also published an official reference directory, Food from Morocco, covering fruits, vegetables, fisheries and processed products for the benefit of international buyers and it is available in Arabic, French and English.

This tool allows users to undertake simple or guided search and ask for prices online. The website www.foodformorocco.ma offers rich and comprehensive information about all Moroccan exporting companies that are active in the field. – TradeArabia News Service