Packaging
Agreement with MISE on the Italian delegation to Nairobi 2014
Wednesday 11. December 2013 - The USA leaves Egypt and bets on Kenya's produce
The revitalization and development of the Italian industry of food processing machinery will be supported by the Ministry of Economic Development through the participation of Italian companies in East Afripack, Kenya. The operational agreement signed by the MISE (Ministry of Economic Development) with ICE – the Italian trade promotion agency – ANIMA and ASSOFOODTEC provides support in the form of collective participation in the exhibition of Processing, Packaging and Converting technologies slated to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, From September 9 to 12 2014. East-Afripack will also feature Fruitech Innovation, a specially designed area showcasing technology for the agro-food industry. The area will be a preview of the exhibition taking place in Milan the following year, from May 19 to 23 in conjunction with the EXPO 2015.
Kenya, East Afripack’s debuting country, is undergoing a particularly interesting phase of agricultural development. The most recent news is the USA’s interest in Kenya’s fruit and vegetable products to replace Egypt as the main supplier, since its considerable political instability already caused the USA to stop all imports. In addition, Kenya is about to launch a special programme designed to encourage production and meet the growing market demand from the USA as well as from Europe. For Kenya, export revenues generated by agricultural products are estimated at around 920 million.
A study carried out by UNIDO on behalf of Ipack-Ima – organizer of East Afripack – shows that across the East Africa region (a macro-area including Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and in the future also Ethiopia) companies perceive technological progress as a key factor for short-term growth in view of competitive development. The study highlights the momentous tendency of the most important companies operating in the large East Africa region to allocate capital to processing & packaging technology. In particular, the Fruit & Vegetable industry clearly displays a stronger inclination to invest in primary and secondary packaging as well as logistics compared to other industry sectors.
The liveliness and rapid evolution of the agricultural industry in East Africa is generating strong anticipation for both exhibitions, not just in Italy and the US but also among Chinese, Turkish and Indian companies active in the fruit&vegetable market, which have long recognized the area’s great potential.