| | Three Alberta agriculture companies anticipate sales in new markets after recently returning from a trade mission to South America. The mission took place from August 21 to 29, 2018, with stops in both Bogota, Colombia and Lima, Peru.
Representatives from Arjazon Seed Trading, Canadian Humalite International, and Obhrai K4 Agriculture participated in the mission, meeting key buyers and gaining firsthand market intelligence to better understand opportunities in the South American market.
“Peru and Colombia are currently Alberta’s largest export markets in South America for agriculture and agri-food products,” says Meghan Horosko, trade and relations officer with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF). “It was promising to see the positive reputation that Canada has in these markets, and the strong interest that international buyers had in their meetings with Alberta exporters during the mission.”
The program included a range of activities to support Alberta companies in the region. Market briefings and intelligence was presented in both Colombia and Peru to provide an understanding of the specifics of each market.
“It was very informative to learn about the local markets and customs,” noted representatives of Arjazon Seed Trading. “This is something that you can only learn by going to the target markets.”
The delegation also toured facilities of major importers, including Corabastos Food Terminal, where bulk grains and pulses are imported and distributed nationwide in Colombia. In Lima, they toured and met with Alicorp, one of Peru’s largest consumer goods companies and importers of ingredients. The delegation also visited an important agriculture trade show in Colombia, Expo Agrofuturo, to meet potential buyers and profile their products
The business meeting program was a key element of this mission, with over 35 meetings between the Alberta companies and potential buyers. All participating Alberta companies expect to generate sales as a result.
“Since our return, we have made several contacts in both countries and hope to be able to conclude sales in the near months,” says Mervyn Fischer, General Manager of Canadian Humalite International. “We feel that this mission was a complete success and we are looking forward to seeing results in the coming months.”
The mission was organized by AF in collaboration with the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service located in the Embassies of Canada in Bogota, Colombia and Lima, Peru. This was AF’s first trade mission to Peru, and second to Colombia following a previous July 2017 agriculture trade mission.
For more information, contact Meghan Horosko at 780-422-7195.
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