Catalan food companies take part in the first Chengdu International Fair (China)

From 25 to 27 November Prodeca is organising the participation of Catalan companies in the first Chengdu International Food and Drink Exhibition 2022 , held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, China. 18 Catalan companies will present themselves at the fair under the brand "Catalonia, where food is culture", either in person on the shared stand or virtually through B2B meetings with importers, distributors and other buyers from the Chinese market.

Two Catalan wineries are taking part in person on the joint Catalan stand. They are Catalan wine companies already registered in China with a local operator who will attend the fair.

In addition, 16 companies are due to take part virtually in the round of B2B meetings organised by the fair's management. The Catalan companies will hold 25 meetings in which they can present their products to importers, distributors and other buyers from the Chinese market. 

The first China (Chengdu) International Food and Drink Exhibition 2022, co-organised by China's Ministry of Commerce and run by NOE CHINA, is being held in person for local operators only, given the country's current situation, and online for foreign participants. 

The fair's aim is to accelerate the recovery of domestic consumption in the region and to become a significant platform on the Chinese fair circuit, as well as making Chengdu an international goods destination for the agri-food sector. The organisers expect more than 150 international brands from 20 countries, aimed at a predominantly trade audience. 

China, an established market for the agri-food sector

With 21 million inhabitants, Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province (85 million), the largest in western China. With a privileged location and strong infrastructure capacity, Sichuan is a major transport crossroads and corridor connecting central and western China with Central and South-East Asia. The province has become the largest commodity distribution hub in western China.

Demand for imported food in China is growing among the middle class, increasingly exposed to international trends. China is one of the main destination markets for Catalan food and drink. In 2021 it was the second destination for Catalan exports, with €1,472 million in value and almost 760,000 tonnes, 11.43% and 9.99% respectively of everything the Catalan agri-food sector exported worldwide. 

The fall in pork exports is expected to be repeated in 2022. From January to September this year, compared with the same period in 2021, Catalan meat exports to China fell 42.51% in value and 41.33% in volume, which translated into a 37.28% drop in value and 34.91% in volume for total agri-food exports to China. Other sectors, however, such as fine food and vegetable oils, grew in value by 42.52% and 37.02% respectively. 

Despite the decline in recent years, the Chinese market is one of the most important for the Catalan sector and one of the fastest growing in recent years. Since 2016, Catalan agri-food exports have risen more than 300% in value and almost 200% in volume, and China has gone from being the 6th international market for Catalan products in 2016 (3.8% of total exports) to the 2nd destination market in 2021 (with 11.43%).