The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will lead a group of companies producing organic products to Germany to showcase their products at the International Trade Fair for Organic Products, commonly known as BIOFACH, which will take place in Nuremberg from 13-16 February 2019. The event will be attended by primary producers, manufacturers, buyers, importers and exporters from across the globe.
 
The objective of the trip is to enable the companies to seek trade opportunities for the South African organically-certified products to German and European buyers, as well as to obtain new business and penetrate new markets.
 
According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, the popular trade fair will give South African companies an opportunity to showcase their products to key industry stakeholders with the aim of increasing exports of the South African organic products to Germany in particular, and Europe in general.
 
“Our department is working in collaboration with the Swiss Import Promotion Organisation (SIPPO) to promote exports of organic products to Germany and by extension to the European Union market in general. The promotion of the organic sector and products is one of the projects identified in the early iterations of the country’s Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) because the sector represents a high-value niche sub-sector with the potential to create thousands of jobs in both the primary agriculture and agro-processing stages of the value-chain,” says Minister Davies.
 
He adds that South Africa currently imports a significant proportion of the organic food demanded by consumers, and there are thus both import replacement and export possibilities for the sub-sector.
 
“The market for organic products is showing strong growth, particularly in the European Union. South Africa needs to maximise its potential and take advantage of the export opportunities that are presented by this growth,” adds Davies.
 
Davies says that the SA companies participating in the exhibition will be able to network with the key stakeholders and decision-makers in the organic sector in Germany and the EU. They will meet with importers, distributors and buyers from retail groups face-to-face. This will enable them to introduce their products directly to these target markets, as well as network and build relationships with potential customers from different parts of the world.
 

Issued by The Department of Trade and Industry