Deputy Minister Gina to lead SA Business Delegation to Dubai
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ms Nomalungelo Gina will lead a business delegation of thirty-three South African agro-processing companies to the Gulfood exhibition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where they will showcase their products from 16 - 20 February 2020.
The companies’ participation in the popular annual trade fair is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance 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 Gulfood is the leading food and beverage event for the region, as it attracts a large number of participants from the Middle East and the world at large.
According to the Deputy Minister Gina, South Africa’s participation in the Gulfood will have a positive impact in terms of increasing export sales from the South African agri-food industry, food retail and value-added agro-processing products.
“The Gulfood will expose South African companies to available opportunities in the UAE as well as creating awareness for South African products. In 2019 export sales generated by the South African companies at Gulfood were worth more than R66 million,” says Gina.
Total trade between South Africa amounted to R54 billion in 2019. South Africa’s exports to the UAE increased from R21 billion in 2018 to R23 billion in 2019, while total imports amounted to R31 billion in 2019. South Africa’s investment in UAE is mainly in the services sectors, communication, financial services, healthcare followed by defence and oil gas.
Vegetable products remain the third most exported product and constituted a 10.94%% share of total exports.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
