Biggest-ever industry focused trade fair in the country : Profood Propack and Agbiz 2013 concludes w
Saturday, 14 September 2013 00:00
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The mega exhibition Profood Propack and Agbiz hailed as one of the most successful exhibitions witnessed in Sri Lanka in recent times 2013 concluded last week with an unprecedented participation of over 30,000 visitors being present during the three day gala.
The exhibition which specifically catered to the food industry and all related industries attracted both local and foreign visitors with delegations from South East Asian countries and extended Asian countries being present at the event.
The 12th consecutive Pro food Pro Pack and Agbiz 2013, Sri Lanka’s only comprehensive food processing, beverage, packaging and agricultural exhibition was held recently at the BMICH, under its renowned theme ‘from farm to the kitchen’.
Past President of the Sri Lanka Food Processes Association and Chairman of the organising committee of the exhibition, Dammika Gunasekara said that the resounding success witnessed at the event will ensure that entire industry will benefit from it in a much larger scale in the coming years.
“It was a resounding success with all stall holders and participants being given a chance to experience something that they have never experienced before. The success was so much so that over 60% of the stalls for next year’s exhibition have already been reserved. All participants and industry stakeholders got the chance to have a one on one opportunity to meet all forms of sub industry stakeholders in the industry and the results of this will be multi faceted. The food and packaging industry as a whole will be reinvigorated as a result of this and will have better communication and integration helping to serve the customers in the future with more efficiency and aptitude,” he said.
With the participation of over a record number of 340 stall holders including foreign stall holders, the event drew wide acknowledgment and attraction from both local as well as international industry related stakeholders and the public at large.
The three days mega extravaganza comprised an Indian, Chinese pavilion together with stalls from a host of other countries which provided the added glamour to the event.
The exhibition is the only one of its kind in Sri Lanka and among the top ranking exhibitions of this nature in the entire Asian region.
The three day event featured providers of all requirements and service needs related to all major factors of the food packaging and agriculture industries.
It drew participants representing all phases that make a distinct part of the final product that is made available to the retail consumer and therefore was recognised as being the most comprehensive exhibition that the country has witnessed.
Imran Hassan, Director of Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services, the Presidential Award Winning event organiser said that the event proved to be one of the best held in the country in the recent years.
“ Every participant be it a stall holder, a visitor or a student gave us amazing feedback on how well they have achieved their objectives of participation in the event. It proved to be a resounding success with every individual, or business entity being provided a platform to achieve their desired objective. The event will most certainly go down in history as one of the best that was held in the country and one that will help serve the Lankan and international consumer with better, efficient and quality products and services,” he said.
Hassan went on to state that the success of the exhibition clearly portrays the need for more comprehensive exhibition centres in the country, to cater to the growing needs of the emerging industries.
“The success of this exhibition and the crowd that it drew is a clear indication of the growing interest of both consumers and other stakeholders related in the industries to hold such exhibitions. Therefore with the current emergence of the economy it is time for us as a country to invest in an International Exhibition Hall which would be on part with world class standards and is able to accommodate large gathering,” he said.
Profood Propack and Agbiz 2013 featured the entire chain of factors which lead to the final product that is used to the consumer, under the theme ‘from the farm to the kitchen’. Visitors to the event witnessed the exact operations which take place during the manufacturing and packaging process – a novel experience only witnessed at the exhibition.
The exhibition this year as in the past years expanded itself into agriculture, poultry, livestock and floriculture and therefore was able to provide all stakeholders one of the most comprehensive platforms to witness the entire gamut of industries that is related to food, packaging and agriculture.
