The 7th edition of the International Perishables Expo Middle East (WOP Dubai), a leading exhibition for fresh edible food, which recently ended has recorded an 11 per cent increase in the number of visitors compared to the 2014 show.

Meanwhile, the 10th edition of the International Plants Expo Middle East (IPM Dubai), a leading plant show in the Gulf region, which was held along with the WOP expo registered a growth of 6 per cent over the previous year, said a statement.

The latest editions of the shows featured 14 official country pavilions, which also reflected a 24 per cent increase in exhibitors as compared to last year, it added.

Othmane Michabl, head of the department for external relations and communication at the Etablissement Autonome de Contrôle et de Coordination des Exportations (EACCE), said: “This year’s WOP Dubai saw tremendous Moroccan presence, with a larger exhibition area and a record participation of 18 exhibitors from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger enterprises which export to various international markets such as North America, Europe, Asia, Russia and the Middle East.”

“Through this participation, we managed to explore new growth and investment opportunities across the Emirati market which is known for its comprehensive and diverse products and services,” he said.

“We have had conducted several pre-event meetings with exhibitors, dealers and distributors from the UAE in August and September to discuss the latest developments and emerging trends in the local market.

“We are pleased with the overwhelming response to the Moroccan platform which attracted over 700 visitors during the three-day event. We look forward to building more partnerships and reinforcing cooperation with our peers in the UAE,” he added.

Harald Braungardt, managing director, Indega, said:  “This year’s IPM Dubai is the most successful of the past three years as there were more visitors and exhibitors combined. In terms of quality, the efforts of the organisers resulted in a more optimistic mood and atmosphere among the exhibitors.”

“One of the highlights of this year’s edition is that participants were more involved in the activities during the event. Our participation resulted in 60 very promising contacts,” he said.

Tarek Sibai, project manager, planetfair, said: “We are truly overwhelmed at the positive response that we have received for this year's editions of IPM Dubai and WOP Dubai.”

“The large crowd turnout and the equally large number of exhibitors present reflect the concurrent shows’ reputation as the leading events for both the perishables and horticulture industry,” he said.

“The strong response has inspired us to start planning for next year's shows,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service