The shift to an organic diet has gained significant momentum in the US and Europe in recent years and the UAE is picking up the pace as residents become more health conscious and opt for a less processed, natural diet. A report conducted by Research and Markets, a trade-specific data analysis company, said the organic food market has been growing at a rate of 20 to 24 percent annually. The research suggests that the industry is expected to generate sales of $32 billion by the end of this year. The report shows that the global organic food market grew by 10.9 percent in 2007 to reach a value of $43.5 billion and in 2012, the market is forecast to have a value of $66.8 billion, an increase of 53.6 percent since 2007. Thousands of businesses will be arriving in the UAE on Feb. 23 - 26 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and the additional venue at Airport Expo Dubai for the regions largest trade exhibition - Gulfood for food, drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment - where organic produce will have an increased presence. “Many companies are including more organic products in their range”, said Trixee Loh, senior vice president, Exhibition and Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organizer of the exhibition. “Gulfood is the perfect platform to launch and elevate the status of organic food and promote awareness among local buyers across the region.” There is currently only a small portion of local farms growing organic produce, however this is set to change as the government - both the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Ministry of Health - promotes the organic movement. Owing to the augmented demand for natural food products, the environmental ministry has set the target of 3,000 hectares of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming, while the health ministry advocates organic food as part of a healthy diet. Industry experts say the most popular organic product within the UAE is baby food, while fruit, vegetables and breakfast cereals are also big sellers. “More expatriates entering the country recognize the importance of organic produce and will seek it out,” said Nils El Accad, CEO, Organic Foods & Cafe. “Participating at Gulfood is the one way to find out if a product or concept will work in the market - any business that wants to establish or promote its position in the industry needs to be part of this important exhibition,” he added. To help support increasing specialization within the market, DWTC has introduced dedicated halls within Gulfood for specific products and services, ranging from processing packaging and labeling, through to beverage and beverage equipment. For the first year, Gulfood will be co-located with Ingredients Middle East, an exhibition which caters for suppliers of raw material and ingredients for food, beverages, and health food being held at Airport Expo Dubai. The 4th Dubai International Food Safety Conference, organized by Dubai Municipality, will also be present to examine the challenges and address issues facing the industry with renowned speakers from around the world. Attendance at the Dubai International Food Safety Conference has consistently doubled each year the event has taken part alongside Gulfood. The much-anticipated Salon Culinaire will return, with a panel of 25 international judges - each mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) - and 1,000 international chefs competing for gold, silver and bronze. __
