Around 500 exhibitors from 25 countries are being featured in a major consumer goods show that opened in Dubai yesterday (December 13).

The 25th edition the International Autumn Trade Fair (IATF10), which was inaugurated by Sheikh Hasher Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, director general, Dubai Department of Information, will conclude tomorrow after its three-day run at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“Dubai is the trading hub of MENA region because of its crucial role as a re-export center, especially in the consumer goods section. One of the clear examples of this is the participation of national pavilions in the IATF 2010 exhibition,” said Sheikh Hasher.

He said that Dubai provides an ideal platform for re-exporting consumer goods to other markets in the Mena region, adding that some of these goods go to European markets via Dubai.

Sheikh Hasher quoted the example of 70 per cent of the consumer goods that come to Dubai from China being re-exported to other markets in Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Satish Khanna, general manager, Al Fajer Information and Services, the organiser of the show, said: “The three-day Autumn Fair has proved to be a leading regional buyer-seller meeting ground for the consumer goods segment. The exhibition, ranked as one of the more popular general trade fairs in the region, has occupied 13,000 sq m of space.”

This year, the fair is hosting the official national pavilions of eight countries, occupying 80 per cent of exhibition space. The national pavilions include 225 exhibitors from China, 35 from Hong Kong, 10 from Singapore, 35 from Korea, 15 from Iran, 20 from Turkey, 40 from India and 15 from Malaysia.

Of the 500 participating companies, eight are hosting official pavilions supported by their respective governments. Turkey and India are participating for the first time. The other countries participating at individual level are Japan, Indonesia, Italy, Taiwan and the Netherlands. – TradeArabia News Service