MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' produce in major frozen seafood exhibition

The International Frozen Seafood Products Exhibition, Conexmar, the most important Spanish frozen food industry event opened Tuesday in Vigo, Galicia with 552 exhibitors from the five continents including several with interests in the Falkland Islands.

The VII edition of the exhibition is expected to attract 30,000 professionals from the fishing industry with business deals totalling 600 million Euros.

"Conexmar has become the leading world event in seafood products, ahead of Brussels' Sea Food and Boston's Fancy Food, and we are planning to keep expanding", said Jose Luis Freire president of Conexmar.

In the first day an estimated 10.000 people visited the exhibition grounds, 2.000 more than in 2004, said the organizers.

Hotel capacity in Vigo is fully booked revealed the city's major Corina Porro and Mr. Freire estimated that the exhibition will represent for the city and services an influx of "between 25 and 30 million Euros".

"The number of exhibitors increased 23% and since the 32.000 square metres have proved insufficient we've had to let some companies set up booths in the loft", explained Mr. Freire.

Juan Carlos Martin Fragueiro head of the Maritime Fisheries Department from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food praised the exhibition saying it was a business hub for the industry, helping to promote fish consumption recalling that Spain one of the world's highest indexes, 37 kilos per person per year.