The Philippines secured USD27.28 million in export sales during a business mission to the Middle East from Feb. 7 to 21, strengthening economic ties with key regional markets.
This marks the first major initiative following the newly signed memorandum of agreement on Agriculture and Fisheries Export Development and Promotion between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The mission aimed to boost market access and trade partnerships for Philippine agricultural, fisheries, and personal care products in Doha, Amman, Riyadh, and Dubai.
Filipino exporters participated in business-matching sessions, supplier meetings, and store visits with buyers, distributors, and industry leaders.
The delegation also took part in Gulfood 2025, which provided a platform to address market entry and compliance matters with the Qatar Ministry of Public Health and the Dubai Municipality.
The Jordan Food and Drug Administration and the Jordan Ministry of Agriculture expressed strong interest in sourcing additional Philippine marine products and tropical fruits, opening doors to non-traditional export markets.
“The success we have seen in the business mission reflects the growing global recognition of the quality and competitiveness of Philippine agri-fishery and consumer products,” said DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque.
“As we continue to forge stronger connections with key markets in this region, we are laying the groundwork for sustained growth and long-term success for our exporters that ensure our local export goods remain in high demand worldwide.”
Aris Unson of HDR Foods Corp. said the business-to-business (B2B) meetings were insightful for operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“We realized that our current business structure for marketing our products is no longer adaptable to the area’s current setup,” said Unson.
“We have also identified other markets to explore, which has helped us recognize avenues for growth.”
“Through the B2B, we were able to discuss our concerns with our distributor, including the marketing strategies we wanted to implement,” he added.
“HDR Foods is hopeful that, after the B2B activities, our products will have a greater presence across the UAE.”
The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. supported the mission, which was organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Centers in Riyadh and Dubai, in coordination with the Philippine Embassies under the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Participating companies included:
- Axelum Resources Corp.
- C and H Cosmetics Industry
- Daila Wholesale LLC
- Destileria Limtuaco & Co. Inc.
- Dry Tech Manufacturing Corp.
- Ferino’s Bibingka
- Fisherfarms Inc.
- Global Foodsolutions Inc.
- Golden Arrow Food Enterprises
- Gwen’s Bakeshop
- HDR Foods Corp.
- International Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- KKK Food Corp.
- Kwality Philfood Inc.
- La Carlota Food Enterprise
- Market Reach International Resources
- McCormick Philippines
- Mensch FilAm Corp.
- Pixcel Transglobal Foods Inc.
- RPO Fine Foods Corp.
- Sabroso Chocolate Manufacturing
- SL Agritech Corp.
- Sterling Pacific Ventures Corp.
- Sumifru Philippines Corp.
- The Cabalen Group
For inquiries on Philippine exports, email the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau at [email protected] or visit tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph.
