International Food Fair kicks off in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, May 23 (acn) The International Fair of Food, Beverages and Food Technology opened its doors on Tuesday, in Havana, as an ideal opportunity to promote foreign investment in this sector, called to play a decisive role in the growth of the Cuban economy.

At the inauguration of the second edition of the event, based at Pabexpo fairground, Maria del Carmen Concepcion, Minister of Food Industry (MINAL), highlighted the participation of exhibitors from 22 countries, 14 more than in the previous meeting (2016).
According to the minister, this increase reaffirms the growing interest of global business in the opportunities offered by Cuba to foreign investment, considered an essential element in the strategy of socioeconomic development of the nation.
She added that not only the exhibition space is greater but also the presence of modern technologies linked to food, and also insisted on the importance of the meeting, which takes place when the country promotes a plan for the progress of this industry designed until 2030.
According to MINAL authorities, the execution of such projects requires 2.5 billion dollars, 58 % of them through foreign capital.
In this economic branch currently operate 10 joint ventures, while there is a portfolio of opportunities consisting of 32 investment projects exceeding 760 million dollars.
According to its promoters, there will be at the fair representation of up to 13 areas related to food, including machinery, equipment and agri-food technology; water, soft drinks and beers, as well as meat and dairy products.
The event, which will last until next Thursday, is organized by the local entity Palco Business Group and the Catalonian organization Fira Barcelona, and is sponsored by MINAL and the Cuba´s Chamber of Commerce.
The International Congress of Food Technology will run in parallel to the fair, at the Havana Convention Center, and tomorrow it will open, also in Pabexpo, the Rum Festival, which will show the main trends in this field.