Paris: Morocco made a distinguished contribution to the 30th edition of ‘Fi Europe,’ the world’s leading event for food ingredients, which opened on Tuesday at the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles in Paris.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the Morocco pavilion, initiated by the National Federation of Agri-Food (FENAGRI), was a focal point in Hall 7 – Ingredients. It featured approximately ten Moroccan agri-food companies that showcased a range of national products such as aromatic plants, carob, agar-agar, juice and tomato concentrates, and yeast. This diverse display highlighted the quality, authenticity, and diversity of Moroccan know-how.
The organizers of the Moroccan pavilion aimed to achieve several key objectives through their participation: enhancing the international visibility of Morocco’s ingredient sector, exploring new opportunities and expanding the base of foreign clients, showcasing the quality and competitiveness of ‘Made in Morocco,’ and identifying industrial and technological partnerships to foster innovation.
Throughout the exhibition, the Morocco pavilion facilitated meetings with top international buyers, distributors, and industry players. FENAGRI noted that the interest shown in Moroccan products underscores the Kingdom’s growing influence in the global food ingredients market.
The Federation expects the outcomes to be ‘significant,’ with new trade agreements, potential avenues for cooperation, and the strengthening of international networks, which are anticipated to bolster Morocco’s presence in new markets in the coming months.
This participation also allowed FENAGRI to reaffirm ‘its commitment to supporting Moroccan companies in their international development, with the ambition of firmly consolidating the place of Made in Morocco on major global economic stages.’
With more than 2,600 companies, 80% of which are Moroccan-owned, Morocco’s food industries constitute the country’s second-largest industrial sector by revenue. They are projected to generate 191 billion dirhams in 2024, meet 77% of national needs, and export to over 153 countries, as per Federation figures.
The sector employs more than 206,000 people, nearly half of whom are women (47%), and accounts for 21% of national industrial employment, according to the same source.
The international Food Ingredients Europe (Fi Europe) exhibition this year attracts nearly 25,000 participants and over 1,500 international suppliers of ingredients and food solutions from more than 130 countries.