The 16th edition of ‘Pro Food Pro Pack and Ag-Biz’ a food, packaging and agriculture exhibition, will be held from August 4-6 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall in Colombo.
The exhibition is organized by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association and Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services.
“The local food industry membership covers the entire island and this industry is ever evolving.
We expect the industry to be regionalized with this exhibition and the backward integration is taking place for industry growth,” Sri Lanka Food Processors Association President, Maliek de Alwis said. The organizers expect over 25,000 visitors to the exhibition where 400 stalls will be displayed.
“The exhibition has reached international level with India and China taking part in a big way.
Over 80 companies from India and China are expected to participate this year. Many South Eat Asian countries including Pakistan and Malaysia will also participated this year and it is focused to become the key attraction in the food industry,” he said.
This food expo has come a long way in reaching the next industry level and recognizing the contribution made by the stakeholders, Sri Lanka Food Biz Awards 2017 was lunched at the event. The winners of the last year competition were also recognized at this event where six eminent panel of judges selecting the winners. The competition was a joint effort by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association and Institute of Food Science and Technology Sri Lanka. This year’s exhibition will be on the theme ‘from the farm to the fork’ denoting the entire chain of the food industry which includes the inception of the food which mainly resolve around farms, to the process and finally, the food table of the consumer.
Hayleys Agricultural Sector Executive Director Rizvi Zaheed said, “This event is renowned for providing a unique and comprehensive platform for the discovery and introduction of food processing, engineering and packaging services among the host of other benefits both the visitors and the stall holders would receive.”
The event will showcase the progress that Sri Lanka has achieved in the agro business sector during the past several years.
It will be an ideal platform for people interested in the agriculture sector including agriculture graduates. All stakeholders in the agriculture sector who will participate at this event will help Sri Lanka get into the international value chain in the food industry, he said. - SJ