UAE Minister of Foreign Trade to hold talks with Vietnamese, Cambodian Ministers at new rice industry exhibition and conference

Dubai, UAE, 29th October, 2011:  H.H. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, will officially open Rice Dubai 2011, the new event being launched later this week which will be a platform for discussions on key issues facing the rice industry.

Sheikha Lubna is keen to offer her support and encouragement for the three-day exhibition and conference which is aimed at strengthening the UAE's position as the world's biggest re-exporter of rice.

On the opening day of the event, which takes place at Madinat Jumeirah from November 3-5, the Minister will hold talks with Mr Luong Le Phuong, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Agricultural & Rural Development, who will later outline for conference delegates his country's vision to become the world's largest rice exporter.

Sheikha Lubna will also meet with H.E. Cham Pradidh, Cambodia's Senior Commerce Minister, Mr Tariq Puri, Chief Executive of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and H.E. Lokesh Mysore Kapanaiah, India's Ambassador to the UAE.

Dr Faisal Ali Mousa, the founder of Rice Dubai 2011, said: "We are indebted to Sheikh Lubna and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade for their enthusiastic support and encouragement.

"Together, we are creating an international stage bringing together major rice producers and millers, exporters and importers and leading branded dealers, as well as several thousand trade visitors, government and corporate buyers, wholesalers, traders and re-exporters.

Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, Rice Dubai 2011 takes place at a time when influences in the Far East are having a big effect on prices of the grain and exports to the Middle East and international markets.

Export rates have risen following the recent heavy floods which swept through farms and mills across Thailand, and major importers in Asia, Africa and the Middle East could delay buying until the market stabilises, or alternatively seek cheaper options in India and Pakistan.

Rice Dubai 2011 is officially endorsed by Dubai Multi Commodities Centre and supports the causes of the United Nations World Food Programme.

Major Indian rice exporters KRBL Ltd and Dunar Rice are among the leading producers and millers in the event's international exhibitor line-up. Both are also silver sponsors of the event along with Central Food Distribution.

Dr Mousa, chairman of the organisers, Ideal Idea Events Management, has made several trips into the Far East in recent months to persuade government officials and rice exporters to put their faith in the UAE as a lucrative trading hub.

He believes next week's event can help deliver significant growth in the value of rice traded through Dubai which reached $520.8 million last year - around 90% of the world's re-exports of rice - based on total rice imports of US$1.3 billion.

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© Press Release 2011