The Philippines made a successful debut at the world’s largest seafood fair held in Brussels, Belgium this month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. Citing a report from the Philippine Embassy in Brussels, the DFA said at least 10 firms in the Philippine seafood industry took part in the European Seafood Exposition (ESE):
Bluefin Seafood Export Inc.; RDEX Food International Philippines Inc.; Mega Fishing Corp.; FAB Sea Resources Corp.; Well Delight Network Corp.; JARLA Trading; JN Mercado Seafood Supply; MS Seafood Supplier; Nuevo Fresco Marine Trading Corp.; and Jess Aquamarine Traders Inc. Now on its 19th year, the ESE in Brussels is the world’s largest seafood fair that attracts buyers and sellers from all corners of the globe. The exposition gives countries and seafood companies the chance to promote their export products to global buyers. It is an annual event that features more than 1,600 exhibitors, representing all categories of seafood products, including fresh, canned, frozen, and value-added seafood. “Major seafood products that the Philippine delegation promoted included tuna (canned, fresh and frozen fillets), sardines (canned and dried), scad (whole frozen or dried), milkfish (frozen and smoked fillets), whole frozen octopus and squid," the DFA said. "World-class quality" According to Ambassador Enrique Manalo, the participation of the Philippines in the trade fair will help the country establish itself as a supplier of “world-class quality" fishery products. This is the first time that the Philippines participated in the trade fair. “[I am confident] the delegates’ participation at ESE will create inroads for Philippine suppliers into the [European Union] market," he added. According to the DFA, Manalo also held an informal discussion with the Department of Agriculture officials and exporters on how the embassy can help promote Philippine seafood products to the EU market. In the Philippines, about one million metric tons of tuna, sardines, mackerel scad, octopus, and squid are harvested by large fleets of purse seine and handline boats annually. An additional 1.2 million metric tons of milkfish, tilapia, groupers, and prawns are grown in aquaculture ponds and sea cages. Seaweed farming produces about 800,000 metric tons of eucheuma, which is processed into carrageenan, one of Europe’s major imports. — JE/VVP, GMA News 
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