From Farm to Fork With the EU!
What makes products from the European Union so good? Perhaps it’s about their top-notch production that stems from centuries of agricultural practices, knowledge transference, geography and great climate. This makes them able to be the best in discerning the cream of the crop, knowing that what it is that makes chefs and restauranteurs all over the world clamour for more of their products and choose to buy from EU Producers. This was proven in the last few days during the Food & Hotel Asia exhibition fair, which saw visitors venturing to all 6 halls at the Expo and explore the wonders of what region states and countries have to offer. Venturing to Hall 6 will lead you to one of the largest exhibition spaces, the EU Pavillion, which focuses on products from the EU, and also the presence of Her Excellency Ms Iwona Piórko, Ambassador of the European Union.
H.E. Ms Piórko’s presence at the FHA 2022 is thanks to the European Union (EU) Pavilion, which happens to be the Partner of Honour this year. Their aim is to improve the access of and create new market opportunities for EU agricultural products in Southeast Asia, tapping on the benefits of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and RCEP. Under the motto, “Enjoy! It’s from Europe” and “More than Food”, emphasis is placed on GI and organic products from meat produce, dairy, to processed agricultural products. As Ms Piórko explains it, the trends of EU products being exported overseas have continued to climb, including significant numbers of products being of sustainable origin and production.
“Last year, despite the pandemic, there was a record high of exports because it reached 2 billion euros that is still on the rise,” Her Excellency Ms Piórko explained. “I think this is thanks to the free trade agreement that we have between Singapore and European Union that has important provisions also on agri-foods of all kinds.” Sustainability in general, and green policies to help combat climate change is important to the countries in the European Union, and helps to contribute to the growth agenda that the European Union is trying to develop. “It’s a whole policy, which is really a philosophy in a sense, in operation, from farm to fork. We look at it from every aspect from fertilizers to pesticides and even packagaing, all along the process.”
Projects and programmes that help to push forth and showcase the best of the European Union and their products will not just stop at the FHA 2022. In fact, H.E. Ms Piórko is optimistic about the region’s push to showcase the best of what products have to offer chefs and restauranteurs in Singapore and the rest of the ASEAN region. “This is the first time we are here as a whole as the EU, but we are bigger than our pavilion. We have 14 national states, and the booths are not just representing individual countries but also independent companies, all which have different programmes. This will be a constant promotion, not just one that stops here.” This will include continuous promotions in supermarkets, cooking shows and seminars. The EU Pavillion was the sight of much bustle and activity, with local chefs invited to put a spin on local food recipes that they love using EU products, and tasting samples of food and drinks from different country states available for sampling.
