The 10th PLASTI & Pack 2012, 9th IFTECH (food + bev) Pakistan 2012 and 1st Food and Hospitality 2012, jointly organised by the Pegasus Consultancy and Fairtrade Messe, was concluded at the Karachi Expo Centre here on Thursday with a positive note that exhibitors are going home with orders.
According the organisers, a large number of trade visitors thronged the show on all three days, where 100 leading foreign exhibitors from 19 countries showcased their latest machinery and technology. Martin Marz, the managing director of Fairtrade Messe said that the exhibitors are satisfied with the response at the show.
The Pakistani food industry has huge potential and the processors wanted to upgrade their production facilities and increase hygiene and quality standards, he added. He said that Pakistan is the leading producer of food items including fruits, vegetables, rice and wheat, dairy products and seafood. Pakistan is also the leading exporter of food items on the world map and has exported food items worth $3.5 billion in 2010.
Responding to a question, he said that it was the desire of major exhibitors from Italy, Germany and Thailand to hold an exhibition in Pakistan. "This is the reason why we came here. We explored three trade fair organisers in Pakistan and chose Pegasus Consultancy to join hands with them", he said. Martin said that his organisation will also join Pegasus Consultancy in their energy exhibition POGEE to be held in May 2013 at Lahore. Leading world players in oil and gas and alternate energy will take part in this fair.
He said that the "fair-trade" has been holding a plastic and food exhibition in Iran for the last 20 years. Last year, 900 exhibitors displayed their latest machinery and technology while 40,000 trade visitors visited the show.
Abiddullah of Omaid Bahar, a food processing company from Afghanistan said that he will soon have a representative in Karachi as a lot of businessmen have shown keen interest to market his products here. "We are also selling our fruit juices in Peshawar and Lahore. We are also exporting our juices in Dubai and India," he added.-PR