MALAYSIAN COMPANIES TARGET DEALS AT GULFOOD 2009

By Abdul Muin Majid

DUBAI, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The 14th edition of Gulfood exhibition started
today with 46 Malaysian companies joining more than 3,000 others from over 70
countries as they try to grab opportunities in the Middle East food market.

Brought here by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation
(Matrade), the Malaysian participants have set up booths at the Malaysia
pavilion in one of the cavernous halls of the Dubai International Convention
and Exhibition Centre for the Feb 23-26 show.

Malaysian trade commissioner in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Noraslan
Hadi Abdul Kadir, said the companies would tout various products to prospective
buyers, ranging from sauces, vegetable oil and snacks to dairy products, energy
drink, coffee and tea.

Other items on offer include ready-to-eat frozen food, cocoa and chocolate
products, confectionery items, biscuits, health food, sausages, food flavours,
fruit juices, fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritional supplements and packaging
products.

At last year's event, Malaysian exhibitors chalked up confirmed orders
valued at RM51.4 million with potential sales recorded at RM118.7 million.

Gulfood organiser Dubai World Trade Centre has expanded Gulfood 2009 to the
Airport Expo Dubai to accommodate increasing participation demand for what is
billed as the region's largest trade exhibition for food, beverages, food
service and hospitality equipment.

Even with the global challenges facing international markets, the Middle
East remained one of the fastest-growing in the world, highlighting the
significance of Gulfood in providing tremendous opportunities for international
business, said the company.

According to industry data, the Middle East food service market is now
valued at US$31 billion annually.

More than 90 percent of food items in the Gulf Cooperation Council states
of Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are imported, making
the region the world's biggest importer.

-- BERNAMA