Agrilink to showcase new solutions from 4 continents

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s biggest and most prestigious annual international trade show on agribusiness, food and aquaculture is poised to bring in the world’s latest livestock and dairy technologies and solutions to boost the global competitiveness of the local industry.

This was announced by the Foundation for Resource Linkage and Development (FRLD), organizers of Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink 2009 slated at the World Trade Center on Oct. 8-10.

FRLD president Antonio V. Roces said new technologies from at least four continents would be exhibited at Agrilink by the International Livestock and Dairy Exposition (ILDEX), one of Asia’s most influential agriculture and dairy trade fairs.

ILDEX will have a pavilion at Agrilink 2009 to showcase 30 companies from Argentina, China, Korea, Thailand, the Netherlands, Finland, United Kingdom, United States, and the Philippines.

“Apart from showcasing the latest technology and business solutions to trade visitors from livestock, dairy, meat-processing and aquaculture industry, we will also organize a series of networking activities such as business matching between local visitors and international exhibitors. For any local buyers and producers who are interested in scheduling meetings with ILDEX Pavilion exhibitors, they can send e-mail to [email protected],” said project manager Suhbpong Smithun of ILDEX coordinator NEO, an event management firm with strong connections with renowned technology leaders.

Some of these foreign exhibitors are Korea’s Adbiotech Co. Ltd. and SOMA Inc., Thailand’s Department of Trade and Animal Supplement & Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., China’s Beijing Smile Feed Sci. & Tech. Co. Ltd and Dadhank (Chengdu) Biotech Corp., Finland’s Bios Agricorp., the United States’ Jacobs Corp., and The Netherlands’ Van Aarsen Pacific Inc., among many others.

“Thus, we expect the ILDEX Pavilion to attract a good number of trade visitors who are searching for new technologies, innovative ideas, business partners and business solutions as well as knowledge and information to stay afloat amidst rising competition,” Smithun pointed out.

“This is why the ILDEX Pavilion will be a perfect marketplace for both buyers and sellers in the livestock, dairy, meat-processing, and aquaculture industry. It also offers the perfect opportunity for Filipino producers to improve their productiveness and competitiveness in order to stay ahead of the expected influx of competition with the full implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) next year,” Smithun stressed.

The full implementation of AFTA, according to Smithtun, will mandate ASEAN-member countries to bring their tariff rates for a wide range of products down to between zero and five percent, making producers compete fiercely in terms of price, which is dependent on productivity and cost-efficiency that hinge largely on technologies and business solutions.

Such new technologies, pro-ducts, services and systems will be showcased by hundreds of local and foreign companies participa-ting in Agrilink’s exhibits.

Supported by ABS-CBN as media partner, Agrilink, Foodlink and Aqualink 2009 also includes technology seminars, products demos, live plant and animal display, marketing presentations, wholesale and retail, and many other business activities.

These triple events are supported by the Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural and Fishery Council, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and some 20 national trade associations. For inquiries, contact FRLD (tel. 8384549 and 8384852, fax 8384573, or email [email protected]).