Filipino food to go global - DTI

By: InterAksyon.com
July 22, 2012 8:14 AM

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA - Filipino food is expected to leap forward globally as food producers continue to offer unique flavors that captivate the world food market, the Department and Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a news release.

In her speech read during the recent food fair dubbed as “Eats more fun in the Philippines,” DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG) Merly M. Cruz said food trend analysts predict that Filipino food will soon be assimilated into the global mainstream culture much like Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai food.

The fair showcased the food products of about 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. It displayed products such as bagnet and longanisa from the Ilocos provinces, organic and unpolished rice from Nueva Ecija, dessert food and other delicacies from Pampanga and Laguna, malunggay food products from Batangas, pinangat and pili products from Bicol, coffee from the province of Kalinga, honey and vinegar from Benguet, and fruit-flavored wines from Agusan del Sur.

“Some experts believe that this trend is just taking off, and that the unique Filipino blend of European and Asian flavors will soon capture the taste buds of the world market,” Cruz said. This unique Filipino food blend is the combination of the best techniques from its foreign influences.

Out of the $3 billion Philippine food exports in 2011, $1.72 billion are processed food and $52.2 million are beverages. As of the first quarter of 2012, Philippine food exports already accounted for $1 billion. One-half of this figure or $517.6 million are processed food, and $32.2 million are beverages.

In 2011, the major markets for Philippine processed food are the US, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. In the first quarter of 2012, the same food importers topped the list with the addition of China. China became the second importer of our process food, from its 10th position in 2011.

For beverages, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US, and Korea are the major importers of the Philippines in 2011. For the first quarter of 2012, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Hong Kong SAR are the major markets of the country for beverages.

The food fair is part of the government’s effort to help promote the products of MSMEs, and make them to contribute in attaining inclusive growth in the country.

Cruz said that this is a good time to be a Filipino entrepreneur because the Aquino administration has recognized the potential of the MSME sector as a driver for national economic growth, and a critical element in poverty alleviation.

Considered as the backbone of the Philippine economy, these enterprises comprise 99.6 percent of all registered business in the country. One-half of these enterprises are food producers.

“The DTI, through the Bureau of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development (BMSMED), as well as its regional and provincial offices, will ensure the successful implementation of SME programs through close coordination and monitoring of quantifiable performance outcomes," Cruz said.

"This is a very exciting time to be a Filipino entrepreneur. Let us all work together to achieve the potential to be among the world's top economies hopefully in our lifetime, but definitely in our children’s, by laying a strong foundation for the future," she added.