Gulfood 2009: features more organic food

Dubai / UAE. (ta) Gulfood 2009 will take place from February 23 to 26 and is the region´s largest trade exhibition for food, drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment. This year´s edition in Dubai will see more organic food exhibitors, since the shift to an organic diet has gained significant momentum and the UAE is picking up the pace. Residents become more health conscious and opt for a less processed, natural diet. According to Trixee Loh from the Exhibition and Events Management of the Dubai World Trade Centre, companies which are starting to include more organic products in their range can see Gulfood as the perfect platform to launch and elevate the status of organic food and to promote awareness among local buyers across the region. Currently, there are just a few local farms growing their produce according to organic standards. This will chance since the government promotes the organic movement: the environmental ministry has set a target of 3’000 hectares of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming, and the health ministry advocates organic food as part of a healthy diet. According to experts, the most popular organic product in the UAE is baby food. Fruit, vegetables and breakfast cereals are also big sellers (source).