Ilocos Norte joins int’l food expo

By John Michael Mugas

PGIN-CMO

With its dynamic and vibrant gastronomic scene, Ilocos Norte joined the 2015 International Food Expo (IFEX), the country’s most celebrated food trade show, on May 21 to 24 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos said that participating in the event is a great opportunity for the distinct Ilocano food heritage to be extensively introduced to the rest of the country and the world.

Extra hot and ready! Ilocos Norte joins the 2015 International Food Exposition for the very first time highlighting its extraordinary food heritage. (Alaric Yanos)

As a biennial event, IFEX 2015 offers an ideal trading platform for the country’s food, ingredients and raw materials. It will be featuring country pavilions, celebrated chefs, product presentations and cooking demonstrations. Exhibitors will not only come from the Philippines but also from the stronghold member-economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Rich and diverse homegrown food products

Embraced by a wide stretch of pristine coastline in the west, bordered by fields and mountains with longer dry season, the rich and diverse homegrown food products of the province will be showcased in its exhibit.

Ilocos Norte prides itself with wide selection of spices such as the bawang [garlic] dubbed  as the “Ilocos white gold” and being supplied nationally at a stunning 69 percent and could rival the bulbs of Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia; and the homegrown chili similar to that of Thai pepper variety and lasona, or red baby shallot.

A seasoned cook prepares the crunchy empanada

(Alaric Yanos)

Locals and tourists alike also adore the cholesterol-containing fried products like chichacorn, cornick, bagnet, empanada and several indigenous food akin to the world’s best gastronomic Mecca, Noma; Abuos (white eggs of giant red ants), tokak (farm frog) and bisukol (snail meat).

Meanwhile, over 700 local and international exhibitors are expected to gather in one roof in this year’s IFEX to promote local products and realize their potentials to be exported internationally.

At llocos Norte’s pavilion, about 14 groups such as the Mango Growers Association, Namnama’s Food Product, Nana Rosa’s Chichacorn, Glomy’s Empanada, Association of Garlic Growers and Processors of Ilocos Norte, Banana Blend Food Products among others will be displaying their local food products.

The province’s exhibit will be alongside of Dagupan, Pasig, Taguig, Quezon City and the Province of Negros Occidental. They will be presenting their heritage foods and beverages, traditional recipes, exotic regional delicacies with an emphasis on the innovative food products of small and medium enterprises.

International exhibitors, on the other hand, will come from United States of America, China, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Mr. Eric Pascua of Provincial Investment Office said that “aside from the exhibit, a cooking demo of the finest Ilocano cuisines will be presented by Ms. Pam Aragoza of La Preciosa, one of the top restaurants based in the province.”

Ilocos Norte as an ideal destination of export-ready, top-quality food products

Through the years, Ms. Marcos has been supportive in improving the gastronomic tourism and food trade and industry in the north. In fact she has initiated the Ilocos Norte Food and Trade Expo (INFOTEX) that has become an avenue of promoting products of local food entrepreneurs and helps in making them to be of top-quality and export-ready.

In addition, the province manages to become a national breadbasket by becoming an outstanding exporter of both high-quality rice and corn. Fruits like Ilocos mangoes considered as the “golden fruit” of the north and saniata, a local name for rich-fleshed dragon fruit also thrive in the province.

More than 13,000 trade buyers and visitors from all over the world are expected to attend IFEX 2015. The event is organized by the Department of Trade & Industry’s export promotions arm, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture – Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS).