South African food and beverage companies will showcase their products at the Africa Big 7 exhibition that will get underway this weekend.
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) will host 23 local companies at its pavilion at the exhibition that will get underway at Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand on Sunday.
Africa Big 7, which is an internationally-renowned food and beverage trade show, is the annual meeting place for food and beverage professionals across the continent who visit to source, meet and gain insight into the latest developments in the industry.
The trade show is the only food and beverage show on the African continent and brings together hundreds of global buyers from significant segments of the agro-processing industry’s value chain.
Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina said the dti’s pavilion will showcase local manufacturing capability in order to boost the export of South African products while simultaneously increasing intra-Africa trade.
Gina said the exhibition provides local companies with opportunity to join over 250 exhibitors from over 45 countries and to fly the South African flag in some niche food and beverage categories such as wines, ginger beer, soy products and preserved fruits.
“The agro-processing sector is critical to the South African economy and has grown to be one of the largest manufacturing sub-sectors, accounting for about 24% of manufacturing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 3.3% of South Africa’s total GDP in 2017.
“In employment terms, agro-processing is the largest contributor to jobs in the manufacturing industry. In 2018, it accounted for approximately 21% of all jobs in the manufacturing industry and 2% of jobs in the entire economy. It is therefore important to use every opportunity to promote, support and grow this sector,” said Gina.
Companies that will participate in the exhibition, will do so through the dti’s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme.
The objective of the scheme is to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.
The three-day exhibition will conclude on Tuesday. - SAnews.gov.za
