Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) would support participation of reputed companies from Pakistan in FOODEX, scheduled to be held in Japan from March 11 to 14 next year, by almost 70 percent reduction in participation fee.
According to Jetro Director O. Tasaki, FOODEX Japan was the biggest food and beverage show in Asia and the whole of Pacific. This is a world class annual professional event bringing professionals from food services trade companies, retail, hotel and manufacturing industries.
Last year the event brought 90,000 professionals, 2,475 exhibitors from 79 different countries. Japanese food service market is worth 225 billion dollars. It imports 60 percent of its food supply every year to cope with Japanese consumers increasing interest in overseas food and culture.
In 2006 Japan's total imports from Pakistan increased 44.8 percent to 208 million dollars including 8.3 million dollars imports in the food sector. Sea food imports alone covered 90 percent of the food imports to 7.6 million dollars including more than 4.2 million dollars import of shrimps, a 41 percent increase as compared to 2005.