French food exports to Mideast up 19%

Dubai: Middle East imports of food from France increased 19 per cent to 460 million euros in two years, the world's second largest farm and agri-foods products exporter, according to a French market source.

GCC countries are now 9th on France's list, whose total exports top 797 million euros. The two main markets in the region for French food and beverages are Saudi Arabia, whose imports totalled 194 million euros, and the UAE.

The UAE imports over three billion euros worth of food annually, making it the second biggest food and beverage market in the Gulf after Saudi Arabia.

French food exports to the UAE represented 161 million euros in 2006.

The highest increase in French imports last year in the GCC occurred in Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain.