GULFOOD2022 WAS A RVEALATION AFTER COVID AFFECTED PREVIOUS EDITION OF 2022
Gulfood is the most important event of the year for food professionals looking to source the latest products, gauge market developments and connect with global suppliers. This year’s was the 27th edition of this event where open conversations with over 5000 suppliers from 198 countries around the world happened with the objective to discover new market opportunities from across the globe. Gulfood is known as a source from one of the widest range of global F&B products, at the most competitive prices for your business.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) officially inaugurated Gulfood 2022 on the first day of the show – 13th February, 2022. He went around some of the stalls.
Chairman DWTCA, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, during his inauguration visit to some stalls where he is being interviewed by some media entities
AIREA has a 24 sq mtr stand in Zabeel Hall No 5 ( Stall No. E4). AIREA was represented by Mr Vinod Kumaar Kaul, Sr. ED, Mr Anil Kumar Choudhary, Sr. ED and Ms Priyanka Marwah, Office Executive. The stand had a meeting area , an area for taste sampling of Basmati Biryani and the remainder area was also made available for member exporters, especially those who did not have their own stall, to conduct their business meetings. The stall was also decorated with posters depicting the activities of the organization Der Ritesh Sharma, Principal Scientist from Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF) was also deputed as APEDA representative at the AIREA Stall.
The following AIREA members also had their own stalls in Zabeel Hall No 5 / Hall No 6 and Zabeel Concourse :
- Bharat Industrial Enterprises, Karnal
- Shree Jagdamba Agrico Exports P{vt Ltd , Karnal
- Puran Chand Rice Mills, Karnal
- Chaman Lal Setia Exports (in Zabeel Concourse)
- Janakidass Rice MIlls
- Goel International Pvt Ltd, Karnal
- Amarsingh Chawalwala, Amritsar
- Bhagwati Lacto Vegetarian Foods Pvt Ltd
- Al Gayas Foods, Mumbai
- Shri Ram rice Unit
- BD Overseas
- GRM overseas
- HR Exports, Karnal
- Suppletek Industries Pvt Ltd, Amritsar
- Shah Nanji Nagsi Overseas Pvt Ltd, Nagpur
- Anshul Trading, Jaipur, Rajasthan
- AEGAN (Amba Grains)
- Shiv Shakti Inter Globe
- Bharat Cereals Pvt Ltd
- Global Agro Corporation Pvt Ltd
- Bansal Fine Foods Pvt Ltd
- Mahavir Rice Mills
- PK Overseas ((in Zabeel Concourse)
Over and above several exporters like Aroma Agrotech , Veer Overseas, GR International and Sulson Overseas etc were facilitated for their business meetings through our stall.
Later, in the afternoon, President, AIREA, Mr Nathi Ram Gupta along with , Mr Satish Goel, VP and SR. ED, Mr Vinod Kaul and Sr ED, Mr Anil Kumar Choudhary took a round of Indian Stalls and had brief discussions with them.
Meeting (G2G) with Dubai Municipality and Ministry of Climate Change: In connection with the pesticide residue issue in UAE, a meeting was planned by APEDA delegation led by Dr M. Angamuthu, Chairman and his team with the officials of Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Climate Change of UAE, on 17th February, 2022. In a sequel prior to this meeting a virtual meeting was held by Chairman, APEDA from Delhi with AIREA members who were already in Dubai on 14th February, 2022 to have a collective view.
After Chairman, APEDA arrived on 15th Night, he visited Gulfood 2022 and had a meeting with AIREA members at the AIREA stall where threadbare discussions were held on the view of trade to be taken up with UAE authorities on 17th February, 2022. Chairman, APEDA was accompanied by Dr Tarun Bajaj, Director and Ms Vinita Sudhanshu, DGM.AIREA members present were Mr Nathi Ram Gupta, President, Mr Satish Goel, Mr Sushil Jain, Mr Devender Singla, Mr Anil Garg, Mr Arvinder Pal Singh, Mr Munish Bansal, Ms Priyanka Mittal, Mr Hiten Bhimani and Mr Rajiv Kumar, ED, TREA.
President, AIREA felicitated the APEDA team after which discussions commenced. Both sides exchanged the views about the issue emerging in UAE so that discussions become meaningful and move towards finding a solution.
After the meeting, Chairman , APEDA was taken around to the AIREA members’ stalls.
Basmati Biryani Taste Sampling exercise from AIREA STALL: AIREA had planned Basmati Biryani Taste Sampling during Gulfood 2022. AIREA has organized sampling through M/s Nandlal Catering Services from Bur Dubai. Following members provided rice for the exercises which was conducted on all the five days :
- M/s Dunar Foods Ltd – Ms Charul Pahuja
- M/s Shree Jagdamba Agrico Exports – Mr Satish Goel/Mr Samarth Goel
- M/s Suppletek Industries Pvt Ltd- Mr Jai Kumar Gupta
- M/s Aroma Agrotech – Mr Anil Garg
- M/s Sun Foods – Mr Sobir Garg
- M/s Goel International Pvt Ltd – Mr Vijay Garg
- M/s Bharat Industries Enterprises Ltd- Mr Mohit Gupta
- M/s Amarsingh Chawalwala- Mr Arvinderpal Singh
The rice provided by these members was delivered to Mr Nand Lal who got biryani prepared and delivered each day at the AIREA Stall. The preparation was most appreciated and there were large queues of visitors keenly awaiting their turn to tase the brilliant biryani. On an average around 3500-4000 tasting each day were registered. A Grand Success. Mr Nand Lal personally also supervised the biryani serving along with two of his staff members.
Conclusion: there were a large number of visitors to the AIREA stall and many showed interest in sourcing rice from India. We have feedback from members also reveals satisfaction as they received good deal of business and that after previous year’s Covid impacted low participation, this year the exhibition has taken off very well.
