By Kristel Merle, DA-AFID The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) expressed their intention to build a sugar processing facil...
The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) expressed their intention to build a sugar processing facility in the country during their visit with Department of Agriculture on March 17.
Agriculture Undersecretary for Agribusiness and Marketing Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, together with Assistant Secretary Leandro H. Gazmin, welcomed the delegates from Bahrain whose main interests are food and retail sectors. They were accompanied by Special Envoy of the President to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ambassador Amable R. Aguiluz V.
According to BCCI Chairman Khalid A. Rahman , “some Bahraini investors are interested to undertake a joint venture with local producers.”
“They are actually asking for assistance in feasibility studies for the products that they want to invest in,” he added.
During the meeting, the delegates expressed their interest in importing palm oil, coconut and it’s by products (coco charcoal and coco oil), bananas, pineapples, mangoes, guyabano puree, flowers, seaweeds and tuna.
Rahman said they are also looking at the possibility of establishing a sugar processing facility in the country. He added that the processed products from the facility will be re-packaged in Bahrain, and sold in Saudi Arabia. Bahrain’s capital city, Manama, is about 24 kilometers off the east coast of Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, Rahman advised the DA officials that the Philippines may use the Bahrain market as a gateway to Arabian trading centers and invited them along with Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol department to join the Bahrain and Asian expo which allows different Asian countries to display their products. The expo is set in December.
Usec. Puyat appreciated the interest of BCCI and vowed to extend to future business ventures .
“We (DA) can link our foreign investors to our farmers’ cooperatives and help them with the requirements, ” she said.
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