FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2001
International Trade---A World of Opportunity For SC Agriculture
CHICAGO, IL---South Carolina products were featured at the 2001 U.S. Food Export Showcase at Chicago’s McCormick Place May 6-8, 2001.
This year’s companies involved in the 2001 US Food Export Showcase included: Colony South of Charleston, International Industries, Corp. of Spartanburg, and NutriSolutions of Conway. Their products ranged from bakery items and convenience foods to functional foods and beverages to snacks.
Sponsored by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and supported, in part by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Showcase, held in conjunction with the Food Marketing Institute’s annual International Supermarket Industry Convention and Educational Exposition, is a great place for food and beverage producers, processors, and suppliers to show (and sell) their wares to the world.
More than 6,000 high profile international buyers from over 100 countries had the opportunity to stroll through the vast hall to examine, taste, and purchase food products from SC and the nation.
“In order for us to keep our farmers farming and our economy thriving, we must be able to grab a bigger piece of the global pie,” said Les Tindal, Commissioner of Agriculture. “With 96% of the world’s consumers outside our nation’s borders, interest in exporting is high and the competition is great. For SC to prosper, we can not afford complacency in the global agricultural marketplace. Nor, can we isolate ourselves from the rest of the world,” he added.
What does SC export? In the last USDA agricultural trade report (1999-2000), SC’s food and food source exports were listed as poultry products, soybeans and soy products, fruits and fruit preparations, meat (excluding poultry), vegetable preparations, peanuts and peanut oil, and other raw and processed products. But, we also offer a wide array of processed foods---many that are unique to our state. Almost every food or food-related product produced in SC can find a market somewhere outside our nation's borders.
Marketing SC products here and abroad is essential to the continued viability of agriculture in the state. The SC Department of Agriculture is committed to expanding and developing new markets both internationally and domestically. Specialists are responsible for providing marketing and promotional assistance in all areas of agriculture including: livestock, row crops, ornamental horticulture and floriculture, fruits and vegetables, and specialty products. In addition, our International Marketing Development Specialist works with other organizations to assist companies throughout the state in marketing their products abroad.
In the past, SC companies have displayed products like Bubba Grits Chips, Yalsa Salsa, Raspberry Bites, Broccoli Bites, Doggie Bites, pecans, snack foods, confectionery items, tea, sauces, convenience foods, cookies, and other bakery items.
SC has a list of international trade success stories---many of which originated with contacts from the US Food Export Showcase. These trade successes have significantly benefited our producers and processors throughout the state. Young Pecan of Florence exported pecans to Canada and Europe; the Charleston Tea Plantation sold tea to Japan; Manchester Farms of Dalzell exported quail to Canada and the United Kingdom; AgriSales/Columbia Farms shipped poultry to Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong; Yonce Farms of Johnston exported peaches to Canada, and Transcon Trading of Columbia exported equine supplies to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Japan.
In addition to the US Food Export Showcase, SC companies will also be participating in the American Food Fair 2001 on May 19th through 22nd at McCormick Place. NASDA launched the American Food Fair in conjuntion with The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show to give US Food and Beverage Exporters another excellent trade opportunity. This year Young Pecans of Florence and Mrs. Smith’s Bakeries will join the 2,000 other exhibiting companies and 50,000 registered participants of the NRA Show.
The bottom line is that the best quality products, agricultural and non-agricultural, are not worth a plug nickel, if someone, somewhere doesn't buy them. Marketing is important, especially marketing abroad. So, to those who have said that we need to concentrate on selling our products here, don’t be too quick to criticize the value of foreign markets. Agricultural exports mean jobs and revenue for all of us. International agricultural trade is truly a world of opportunity for SC !!!
For more information about the exporting agricultural products, call Roy Copelan at 803-734-2211.