Everything and anything to do with seafood from cold storage, processing equipment to packaging, fisheries technology, and exporting can be found at a seafood show. Each year hundreds of seafood exhibitors showcase their products at the biggest seafood show in the world – European Seafood Expo.  There are thousands of buyers, suppliers, media and other seafood professionals from more than 140 countries that visit the exposition.

In April this year, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency in collaboration with PNG National Fisheries Authority gave four Pacific seafood enterprises the chance to exhibit some of their products and discuss potential business opportunities with investors and buyers from the European market. Sealand Processors (Fiji) Limited, Sea Quest (Fiji) Limited, Golden Ocean Limited (Fiji) and Kiribati Fish Limited exhibited for the first time.

Expressing his appreciation, Uttam Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Sealand Processors (Fiji) Limited said “The European seafood show has been the most prominent seafood show which cannot be missed by anyone associated with fishing. We are thankful to FFA for giving us this opportunity.”

 

Echoing his sentiments, Ana Delailomaloma, Marketing Manager of Golden Ocean Fish and Kiribati Fish Limited said “For Golden Ocean Fish we were happy to get our trip funded by FFA and we greatly appreciated being part of the Pacific Island Tuna Exporters Booth.  Usually we attend the European Seafood Expo as attendees. This was our first time as exhibitors which is a very effective tool.”

 

Speaking about their experience and the possibility of engaging potential customers, Kumar said “We met several potential customers out of which we are in serious communications with two of them discussing opportunities. One of them whom we met at the show will visit our factory in a month’s time. This visit of theirs was followed by several email/phone conversations we had with them.”

 

“We are certain this will convert into business soon. We also had opportunity to meet (a) few bait suppliers from other countries whom we are in communication with (also). There was also an opportunity to see various processing equipment which we might be needing in future,” he said

“Overall the experience in Europe has been very good and we are satisfied with the potential business opportunity coming our way, initiated at the show,” added Kumar.

 

Ms Delailomaloma, said “At the show, we met up with our current buyers and met with those that want to buy from Fiji and Kiribati. Demand for our fish from Europe is very high. The only problem is that there is not enough supply in Fiji as we don't have many EU approved vessels.”

 

Going forward, there are obvious opportunities for small and medium enterprises in the Pacific tuna industry.

 

Following the success of the supported participation at the European Seafood Expo, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency will now follow up with further support to more companies in the region to participate in the Seafood Expo Asia in Wanchai, Hong Kong from September 4 – 6, 2018.

 

FFA Director General, James Movick noted “We want to ensure SMEs in the region get as much exposure and opportunity if they are export ready and want to reach new markets in Asia. We are setting up a Pacific pavilion and encourage all interested SMEs to access our website or Facebook page for more information on how you can submit an expression of interest, which closes on August 6 (today).”

 

With this in mind, interested fisheries SMEs from within the FFA countries can now submit expressions of interest to FFA to participate in the Asia Forum. If you just happen to be in Hong Kong at this time, look out for the Pacific Pavilion at the expo.