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Thanks to the support of PROCOLOMBIA, 20 Colombian companies will have the chance to present products from Cali, Yumbo, Cartagena, Pereira, Barranquilla, Bogota, Manizales, and Chinchina at Anuga 2013.
This important food trade show is held every two years from October 5th-9th in Cologne, Germany, and this year the event will enjoy a variety of Colombian products under three different categories: delicatessen products, frozen food, and hot beverages.
" Colombia&rsquo s participation in trade shows like Anuga is proof of the country&rsquo s potential as a food supplier, thanks to both its strategic geographical location and its production capacity throughout the year, free trade, the international certifications granted to national exporters, and its varied, high-quality products,&rdquo stated Maria Claudia Lacouture, President of Proexport.
Along the same lines, this year’s trade show will be attended by companies with products like fruit pulp, frozen vegetables and tubers, canned foods, sweeteners, confectionery, soy milk and other soy products, hot sauces, dried fruit cereal bars, quinoa-based foodstuffs and beverages, drinks, cookies, and coffee.
Colombia’s presence at Anuga will also support the joint trade strategy with the other Pacific Alliance member countries, Mexico, Peru and Chile.
A Sector with High Exporting Capabilities
Showcasing Colombian products at Anuga and other important trade shows around the world like Fruit Logistica, Alimentaria, Sial, Seoul Food, or Fine Foods, has played a key role in the success of the country’s exports.
According to information by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism and data provided by the National Administrative Department of Statistics, Colombia exported U.S. $4.680 billion worth of agribusiness products in 2012, with a 5.4% increase compared to 2011. Between January and July of 2013, exports amounted to $2.7 billion USD, with the United States, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Netherlands as the main destinations.
PROCOLOMBIA identified at least 161 agribusiness products with export potential towards the European Union, thanks to an agreement that became effective last August 1st.
Special coffee is an example of such potential, not only due to the trend of European consumption of high value-added coffee beans, coffee with proof of origin, or sustainable and certified coffee products, but also because they used to pay basic custom tariffs between 0%-11.5%, but they are now exempt.
On the other hand, 92% of processed fruits and vegetables are eligible for custom tariff exemptions, which gives Colombian exporters the chance to leverage the growing demand of the European food industry for these types of products, bolstered by the increasing importance given to health and convenience issues..
Other products with exporting potential include fresh fruits, sugars, sweeteners, oils, fats, shrimp, trout, tilapia, cocoa and related products, confectionery, fresh and exotic flowers, ornamental fish, spirits, bakery and flour-mill products, and different food preparations.
According to PROCOLOMBIA, these opportunities could be leveraged by exporters who are able to understand and analyze the European market, which is strict in regards to food safety, labeling and delivery times, in addition to placing great value in organic, fair trade, and social responsibility-related certifications.
Colombia’s Strengths as a Global Food Supplier
- Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest growth potential for agricultural lands with more than 34.6 million acres available.
- According to the agro-ecological zoning map by the Agustin Codazzi Geography Institute (Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi, IGAC) and the Colombian Agricultural Institute (Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario, ICA), Colombia’s agricultural potential covers 12.7% of the national territory.
- According to the FAO, this ranks Colombia in the 22nd place among 223 countries under evaluation for growth potential in agriculture that have no impact on natural woodlands, where China, Australia, and the United States are in the lead.
- Colombia’s tropical location provides various climates with altitudes above sea level, ranging from 0 ft. (> 75 F°) to 13,125 ft. (< 43 F°).
- Also, the country has a privileged logistic location with access to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans: only 6 days or 3 hours away by ship or plane from the U.S. respectively, or 11 days or 9 hours away by ship or plane from Europe, respectively.
