Amman, April 30 (Petra-- Jordan participated in the international food exhibition "SIAL Canada," held in Montreal, with a dedicated pavilion featuring a number of national companies specializing in food industries.
Jordan’s Ambassador to Canada, Sabah Al-Rafie, inaugurated the Jordanian pavilion on Wednesday, expressing appreciation for the participating institutions and companies. She underscored the importance of strengthening the presence of Jordanian products in global markets, particularly in Canada, which offers promising opportunities for food exports.
Al-Rafie commended the efforts of the Jordan Exporters Association, which organized the country’s participation, in promoting Jordanian industrial products in Canada. She stressed the need to fully capitalize on the opportunities provided by the free trade agreement between the two friendly countries.
She noted that participation in specialized international exhibitions such as "SIAL Canada" serves as a strategic platform for building new trade partnerships and expanding export opportunities, ultimately enhancing the competitiveness of Jordan’s economy.
The Jordanian pavilion was also visited by Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, who, along with Ambassador Al-Rafie, reviewed the showcased products and listened to company representatives highlighting the quality and diversity of Jordan’s food industries and their potential in the Canadian market.
Chairman of the Jordan Exporters Association, Senator Ahmad Khudari, said Jordan’s participation in SIAL Canada one of North America’s leading food industry exhibitions aims to strengthen the presence of national products in international markets, expand export opportunities, and establish partnerships with importers and distributors from around the world.
He added that the three-day exhibition marks Jordan’s 14th participation, with the pavilion featuring companies offering a wide range of products including canned foods, coffee, spices, sweets, dates, juices, and beverages.
The exhibition is expected to attract more than 23,000 specialized trade visitors from across the globe, including importers, exporters, distributors, wholesalers, as well as representatives from retail chains, hotels, restaurants, and food service companies providing a vital platform to connect producers with buyers in a direct business environment.
More than 800 companies are taking part in the exhibition, representing diverse sectors such as ready-to-eat foods, traditional and innovative beverages, health and organic products, plant-based items, frozen and chilled foods, as well as confectionery and baked goods.
Khudari highlighted that the Canadian market remains a promising destination for Jordanian exports, offering significant growth potential particularly in light of the bilateral free trade agreement, which facilitates market access, enhances trade exchange, and encourages investment in Jordan.
Jordan and Canada are linked by a free trade agreement the first signed by Canada with an Arab country concluded in 2009 and entering into force in 2012.
Director General of the Jordan Exporters Association, Halim Abu Rahma, noted that the Jordanian pavilion at SIAL Canada witnessed strong interest from Canadian traders and importers, reflecting growing demand for Jordanian products and confidence in their quality.
He emphasized that Canada remains a key target market for Jordanian industries, given the real opportunities it offers for growth, especially under the free trade agreement that helps ease market entry by reducing procedures and lowering or eliminating customs duties, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Jordanian products.
Abu Rahma added that the association will continue implementing its strategy to diversify export markets, targeting promising destinations such as South Korea and Indonesia, while strengthening presence in established markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.
Trade exchange between Jordan and Canada reached 131 million Jordanian dinars last year, of which Jordanian exports accounted for 77 million dinars.
//Petra// MF
