Philippines’ Best Seafood Products Featured at the 18th Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo
(L-R) Agriculture Attaché Dr. Samuel B. Animas; Ms. Trinidad Carlos of the Department of Agriculture; Hon. Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio, Charge d’ Affaires, a.i., of the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo; Consul Kristine Margret M. Malang; and Mr. Marlon Charles Rufo also of the Department of Agriculture at the Opening Ceremonies of the 18th Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo held in Tokyo on 17 August 2016.
Value-added fishery products by Fisherfarms, Inc.
Six (6) small and medium enterprises from the Philippines joined as exhibitors to the 18th Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo held in Tokyo on 17-19 August 2016. The 2016 Expo is the biggest seafood show in Japan. It gathers thousands of wholesalers, distributors, retailers and restaurant operators. Hundreds of seafood companies from different countries including the Philippines converged in the event.
The participating companies from the Philippines to the Expo included Fisherfarms, Inc., 3H Enterprise Ltd. Inc., and Jam Seafoods, Inc. which participated for the first time, and Phil-Union Frozen Foods Inc., Philfresh Corporation/Citra Mina Group of Companies, and President Marine Products Corporation, which are regular participants. The Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), in cooperation with the Office of the Philippine Agriculture Attaché to Japan, organized the participation of the Philippine delegation and exhibitors.
Another ready-to-eat fish fillet sample offered to the visitors by the Philippine exhibitors to the 18th Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo held in Tokyo.
Dr. Samuel B. Animas, Philippine Agriculture Attaché to Japan, was at hand to assist the exhibitors. The Expo provided a venue for the Philippine exhibitors to promote and expand their market in Japan, renew contracts with old buyers, and observe trends of seafood market and products. The Philippine exhibitors showcased the country’s best seafood products such as fresh and frozen tuna, shrimp, valued-added fishery products (gourmet fish fillet, all natural fish sausages), ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat yellow fin tuna specials, mackerel, sardines in corn oil, tuna chicharon, live eel, fillet eel, fresh tiger prawn, live crabs, lobsters and grouper. Fresh chilled tuna round, tuna loins, fresh chilled tuna saku bars, and fresh frozen black tiger shrimps were also among the seafood products.
Last year, eight (8) Philippine participating exhibitors at the Expo reached almost US$10 million of booked and negotiated sales. This is the fourth year that the Philippines joined the annual Expo.
Japan is among the Philippines’ top trading partners. In 2014, Philippine agricultural exports to Japan reached US$946 million comprising bananas ($399 million), refined coconut oil ($75 million), fresh pineapples ($56 million), frozen tilapia fillet ($44 million), and tuna in air tight containers ($37 million) as leading agricultural products. END.
