Gov’t, industry leaders to open Agrilink/Foodlink 2003 today

Much-awaited international agribusiness and food trade show Agrilink/Foodlink 2003 will open at the World Trade Center Metro Manila today (Oct. 16), with government and business icons leading the global industry in the inaugural rites.

The exhibit and seminars will officially kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr., Presidential Adviser on Agricultural Modernization Angelito M. Sarmiento, Senator Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr., and Rep. Alfredo G. Maranon Jr.

Lorenzo will deliver the keynote speech, shortly after his introduction by Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FRLD) chairperson Dulce I. Gozon and the welcome remarks by Agrilink/Foodlink 2003 overall chairman Francisco Buencamino.

These will be followed by a tour of the exhibits, which comprise the country’s biggest and most comprehensive assembly of the world’s latest food and agribusiness products, services and technologies.

The exhibitors include prestigious companies from Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, together with local industry giants Monsanto Phils, General Milling Corporation’s subsidiary General Agri-Foods Int’l, and SMFI/B-MEG, among others.

There are also many small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs offering various product innovations and services.

The vast showcase occupies a whopping 11,500 square meters of World Trade Center’s total indoor and outdoor exhibit space, thus ensuring the availability of everything that agribusiness and food firms, entrepreneurs and consumers may need.

The whole setup is designed to accommodate the expected influx of thousands of visitors from various fields of interest, according to Agrilink/Foodlink 2003 project director Rosalino G. Perez. "With this year’s theme ‘Corporate Citizenship: Touching Lives, Strengthening Linkages’, business and technology seminars are lined up to also help companies and entrepreneurs attain success in that spirit," Perez added.

Cooking demonstrations are also scheduled throughout the 3-day show, which runs up to Saturday (Oct. 18).

Today’s seminars are Ammonium Nitrate Water Solution for Mangoes by Inca Plastics Phils. Inc.; Growout Culture of Pampano and Mangrove jack by Santeh Feeds Corp.; and Cost-Reducing Integrated Pest Management Technologies in Vegetable Production by Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program.

The cooking demos will be conducted by Delifresh at 2:00-3:30 p.m. and by Philfoodex at 3:30-5:00 p.m.

For tomorrow, the seminars are Capability Enhancement for SME Processors by the Department of Trade and Industry; Why Liquid Feeding Will Work for You and How to Eliminate Odors by The Infarmco Group; and Using Alpha-Galactosidase Enzymes for Corn-Soya Diets / Plant Extracts as Natural Feed Additive in Animal Health and Production by Philchema Inc.

Cooking demos will be staged by Honeybee Production, Tefal, Spices and Food Mix House, and Herbs Society.

For Saturday, the seminars are Enhancing Piglet Performance with Ready to Use Antibodies / Protected n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Fertillum Improves Litter Size in Sows by Agrispecialist, Inc.; Food Safety of Genetically Modified Corn and Soybean in the Philippines by Monsanto Phils Inc.; Lifetime Income Through Mango Farming by Good Harvest Orchards Marketing Corp.; and Go Organic: It Can Mean Your Life! by the Organic Producers Trade Association.

Cooking demos on Meat Specialties for Business will be done by Lulu Rivera of Spices and Food Mix House, and on Organic Vegetable Power by Shai Tamayo of My Goodness.

Globally popular, Agrilink and Foodlink have been helping the local industry develop new markets, gain access to latest technologies and other resources, and generate business opportunities, while promoting entrepreneurial development nationwide.