Local News

Belize has taken part in food festivals in Taipei, Taiwan and Antigua, Guatemala.  The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, BELTRAIDE, says that it along with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accompanied Royal Mayan Shrimp Farm and Hot Mama’s Pepper Sauce  to Taipei for the twenty-second Annual Taipei International Food Show.  The event, which was held one month ago, had more that forty thousand visitors in attendance.  The two Belizean companies reportedly received favourable feedback from the attendees and potential buyers and trading partners were identified through networking.  Dialogue has also begun to facilitate potential trade between interested buyers and the respective Belizean companies.  The trip to Taiwan also led to queries being raised on an existing twenty percent duty on imported Belizean shrimp in Taiwan.  Meanwhile, the food show in Antigua, Guatemala saw the participation of around 120 food exporters from across Meso-America and Haiti.  That event was the Fourth Annual Flavours Food Show, held earlier this month.  A buyer-seller meeting provided technical support and a newly developed match-making system was incorporated that allowed small and medium producers of organic fruits, vegetables sea food and processed goods to collaborate with food-importing firms from Canada, the US, China, South Korea and Japan.  BELTRAIDE says that links were developed with distributors and buyers from Latin and North America and interest was expressed to purchase Belizean papayas, mangoes, bananas, oranges and sour saps.