UAE firms bid for a slice of Indian food sector

dubai - Dubai Exports will also host a UAE pavilion at World Food India exhibition

Dozens of UAE companies have shown interest to take part in the upcoming World Food India (WFI) 2017 exhibition to be held in New Delhi later this year. Dubai Exports will also host a UAE pavilion at the event.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, India's Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Niranjan Jyoti said she met senior UAE officials and heads of several local companies during a road show.

"My delegation and I met more than 80 large business groups and all have shown great interest in participating in the event. During the road show, I met several business leaders at an event organised by Dubai Exports on August 7. I also had separate meetings with prominent businessmen from various companies such as Sharaf Group, Essa Al Ghurair Group, Al Ain Dairy, Aujan Group, Hassani Group who have assured their participation in WFI 2017," Jyoti said.

Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, deputy CEO of Dubai Exports, reaffirmed that Dubai Exports will support WFI 2017 through an integrated pavilion for companies and exporters from the UAE.

"We also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the area of food security, which is very important to the UAE as well as India. We hope to see more and more investors from the UAE coming to India for investment in food processing industries," she added.

Set to be inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, WFI 2017 will be held in New Delhi from November 3 to 5. More than 400 companies are expected to take part, including a large number of international players.

Anuradha Prasad, joint secretary at the ministry of Food Processing Industries, said India is hosting its first such mega event in the backdrop of strong growth in the Indian food processing sector. She said an Indian delegation under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority has been coming to the UAE for Gulfood every year, but this road show is to promote the World Food India and the food processing sector in particular.

India's food processing sector, she said, attracted $500 million worth of foreign direct investment in 2015-16 which jumped to $727 million in 2016-17, an increase of nearly 45 per cent. She expects FDI to reach $1 billion in coming years.

"If we get a big push of investment from the UAE and other Gulf countries, we can reach the $1 billion target," she added.

- waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com