Business

His Excellency Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality led the inauguration ceremonies today (October 5, 2015) of the 7th International Perishables Expo Middle East (WOP DUBAI), the GCC regions only dedicated exhibition for fresh edible food and the 10th International Plants Expo Middle East (IPM DUBAI), the most important plant show in the Gulf region, which will run until October 7, 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The exciting three-day events are expected to throw the spotlight on the rapidly growing and vibrant global perishables and horticulture industries.

Spread across over 8,000 square meters of exhibition space, WOP DUBAI is poised to receive visitors coming from over 80 countries. This years show is featuring 14 official country pavilions, which also reflect a 24 per cent increase in exhibitors as compared to last year. According to a recent survey, 51.6 per cent of visitors will visit IPM DUBAI with the intent to sign purchase contracts or make new purchases, while 48.3 per cent will visit with the hope to make preparations for future purchase contracts at the fair. Both shows are expected to receive more than 7000 participants demonstrating a 26 per cent increase from last year.

Engineer Fatima Al Kalbani, the Acting Director of the Plant Health and Development Department, Ministry of Environment and Water, said, The Ministry participation in this year's editions of IPM DUBAI, comes based on the ministry's keenness to promote the facilitation of horticultural businesses through informing the participating companies and customers about the procedures and requirements for import and export of plants and plant products as well as about the ministry customer electronic services. Our participation also is to learn from the experiences of other countries in the field of horticulture aiming to achieve sustainable development and to improve our: procedures, actions and services to protect our plant wealth and to prevent entry of horticultural pests, and to facilitate procedures for import/export.

We are looking forward to our participation at this year's event as this allows us an opportunity to network with other like-minded industry professionals while also reinforcing our ties with customers and exporters. WOP DUBAI also greatly helps in increasing more awareness for our brand through networking and meeting with potential new clients and also by leveraging KAF's development lines across existing partners. This event provides a unique business-driven & practical environment by having a much focused industry profile related only to fresh produce, said Gladess Mattar, Managing Director, KAF Group.

This years WOP and IPM DUBAI will together host a wide number of local and international exhibitors who will showcase the latest advancement in technical equipment, technology, safety features and logistics along with displays of fresh food and horticulture. We thank our esteemed patrons for extending their continual support to these events which have contributed in strengthening Dubais position as a hub for fresh fruits, vegetables and plants. We are upbeat that like previous editions, the current edition will receive overwhelming response from professional visitors from the UAE and the region, establishing the shows as vital platforms for signing new deals, forging partnerships, and conducting business, concluded Tarek Sibai, Project Manager, planetfair.

The extensive events at IPM DUBAI 2015 range from horticultural seminars and presentations on landscaping to The Middle East Floral Designer of the Year 2015 and tours to production sites such as gardening and landscaping companies as well as garden centres in the region. Meanwhile, WOP DUBAI 2015 will showcase key events such as Eurofruit Business Forum, organised on the show floor by Eurofruit, which offers both local and international suppliers a platform to discuss today's most pressing issues and highlight the potential of their products. WOP DUBAI will also provide a prestigious opportunity to meet final decision makers, purchasing & procurement directors of major fresh produce wholesaler companies in the Middle East, supermarket and hypermarket chains, hotel, restaurant chains, catering companies, juice producers, traders and retailers.

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