The Saudi Indian Business Network (SIBN), working under the patronage of Consulate General of India, led a delegation of 20 Saudi businessmen to the recently concluded world’s largest Indian food & beverage sourcing show with Reverse Buyer Seller Meet third edition of “Indus Food 2020” at India Exposition Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India organize by Trade Promotion Council of India with the support of Department of Commerce, Government of India.
The delegation was one of the strongest delegations from the Middle East. The three day event from 8th to 10th January 2020 with two concomitant shows Indus Food-Chem and Indus Food-Tech 2020 make Indus Food 2020 bigger and grand event this year.
About 1300 foreign buyers from 80 countries comprising large retailers, importers, investors along with government firms and 700 domestic suppliers also participated in a three-day food and beverages sourcing show.
The Indus Food 2020 was formally inaugurated by Commerce Secretary AnupWadhawan on 8th January 2020.
Global top sourcing giants such as Walmart, LULU, Carrefour, Lotte Plaza Market, Nesto, and Mustafa participated. TPCI Chairman MohitSingla said that India’s agriculture production share in the global market ranges from 30 per cent up to 75 per cent.
Indian Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh’s initiative played a key role in making the visit of this large delegation to the Indus Food 2020 a big success. The event drew attention to abundant opportunities for Indo-Saudi business, with various well-known groups showing interest in developing partnerships. Most of the delegates expressed their desire to be part of the next Indus Food delegation in 2021.
Indus food -Tech 2020 is a global platform to showcase food and drink technology and equipment to the food processing companies in India and the world. The Sectors covered at the Trade Fair includes Food & Beverage Processing, Drink Technology, Food Packaging & Labeling, Automation & Controls and Supply Chain Solutions.
In recognition of the strong links established by the Saudi Indian Business Network (SIBN) with the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), all 20 Saudi SMEs were provided with return air tickets, three nights’ hotel accommodation in a five star hotel in Delhi and local transport including airport transfers. In addition, post event tours to manufacturing plants were organized for the benefit of SMEs to identify suitable machinery/equipment for expansion of their manufacturing capacities. The Saudi Indian Business Network (SIBN) with a history of over 15 years, assist SMEs in Saudi Arabia to venture into Indian market through its strong linkages established with TPCI where MoU has been signed to develop bilateral trade between two countries last year.
The 20 SME delegates are dealing with dairy products, processed food, dry fruits, meat products, poultry, spices, rice, tea, fruits such as high breed mango varieties and confectionary.
Delegates were facilitated to attend round table discussions and meet over 1,300 foreign delegates from Australia, Austria, Canada, UK, Turkey, Korea, Afghanistan, Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, China, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, USA etc. in addition to over 1,200 business partners from India during the B2B Meeting sessions on 8th and 9th January. Wide array of products and services related to food industry were showcased by 700 Indian exhibitors at the Fair.
Indus Food was the most significant and vital platform for global food buyers to source, network and connect with Indian Food & Beverage industry with a large and diversified choice on offer.
The event was segregated zone-wise to help the exhibitors to specifically participate and showcase their products of their respective segments covering all 12 product segments from consumer food, dairy products, marine, meat & poultry to Indian ethnic food all under one roof.
Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) presented an award to Mir Gazanfar Ali Zaki, General Secretary of Saudi Indian Business Network (SIBN) in recognition of his valuable contribution in promotion of Indian Food Industry globally on the sidelines of Indus Food 2020.
Saudi delegates said it is amazing to see so many products under one roof. They are basically importing most of the commodities from the UAE, which itself imports those commodities from India. They are looking to directly buy those products from India as that will help them to substantially reduce the cost of purchase of those commodities. In addition delegates also looked for value-added products from India.
The SIBN and TPCI look forward to enhance trade between India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia considerably.
Mrs. HamnaMariyam, Consul (Commerce & PIC) and AmjadShareef, Marketing Research Assistant (MRA) of Consulate General of India, Jeddah Commercial Section managed and organized the Indus Food 2020 trip. Salman Aziz, Reservation Manager, Air India and AleemuddinShareef, Sales Executive, extended overwhelming support to the Saudi delegation.