Last November 13 to 17, CCIFP’s Team France Export carried out a week-long collective mission for French companies involved in providing solutions and equipment for the sugar industry: the CODETEC 2023 delegation. It is an initiative of Business France and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines led by Team France Export (CCIFP – TFE), in partnership with the Consortium of Equipment and Techniques (CODETEC). The delegation is composed of member companies of CODETEC, a dynamic consortium of SMEs specialized in the supply of equipment and services for the sugar industries, who all wish to promote French technological excellence and quality standards in the Philippine sugar sector.
This collective mission brings together renowned French companies alongside key players in the Philippine sugar industry.
To achieve its aims, several meetings with Philippine companies and site visits are planned to encourage collaboration between Philippine and French companies with fruitful partnerships in the future.
We were delighted to welcome a representative of one of the biggest sugar companies in the Philippines: Victoria’s Milling, government officials from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and a representative of the French Embassy’s economic service, representatives of important sugar industry associations Philippine Sugar Millers Association (PSMA) and the CODETEC delegation comprising the following french companies: SA POMPES BROQUET, Iteca Socadei, Mixel, Precia Molen, Ercane, CMD Gears, Choquenet and Novasep Applexion.
The week officially began on November 13, with the presentation of the sugar industry market in the Philippines at the Fairmont Hotel, Makati. The event included detailed presentations from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the Philippine Sugar Millers Association (PSMA) for the delegates to get the most updated information on the sugar industry.
The rest of the week was packed with visits to the island of Negros, where the city of Bacolod, the sugar capital of the Philippines, is located. The first stage of the delegation, on 14 November, included visits to the Philsurin Research Centre and the URC SURE-URSUMCO. The delegation then visited the factories of other major sugar companies and institutions such as Sagay Sugar, Lopez Sugar, URC La Carlota, and La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center. The final day of the CODETEC sugar delegation, on 17 November, concluded with visits to the First Farmers Holding Corporation and the Hawaiian Philippine Company.
Throughout the week, the delegates were able to meet a few prominent actors in the sugar industry. A dinner meeting was arranged by the Negros Occidental local government unit where Governor Bong Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer were present. The delegates also had a courtesy call meeting with SRA’s administrator and CEO, Pablo Luis S. Azcona.
Additionally, they met with Anna Gaston Soenen and her husband French chef Cyrille Soenen in Hacienda Santa Rosalia. Anna is from the prominent and pioneering Gaston family where Yves Leopold Germain Gaston also came from. Yves was the first to commercially produce sugarcane in the Philippines. Mr. Gaston was born in France and first arrived in Silay City in 1840. Currently, she still manages family land that produces sugar cane.
The CODETEC delegation marks an important step in the strengthening of economic relations between France and the Philippines, fostering a culture of exchange and collaboration for the development of the sugar industry in both countries. CCIFP remains committed to supporting such initiatives that pave the way for successful partnerships and sustainable growth in the industry sectors. Indeed, our ambition is to set up main events like this one, because we believe in this way to encourage most companies to find partners between the two countries, France and the Philippines.
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines Team France Export department offers various business center services to provide foreign companies access to opportunities with our local trusted partners.
To know more about these services you may click this link: https://ccifrance-philippines.org/services/ or contact Bea CASTRO at bea.castro@ccifrance-philippines.org