Topic “Middle East” — Exporter Magazine

Middle East airlines recorded double-digit traffic growth in January, posting a 14.5% increase which is by far the largest rate of growth for any region in the world and represents a return to the rates experienced in 2010, according to Arabian Aerospace. Last year Korean firms won projects worth $25 billion in the UAE, mainly in the oil and gas, petrochemicals and construction sectors. The most important contract was the Korean Government-owned Kepco winning the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation. The Middle East’s organic food market, valued at about USD$227 million a year, is growing at a pace of nearly 20%, mainly driven by the rising affinity of the youth population to embrace healthy and natural lifestyles. Proleads Global, a UAE-based market research company has reported that nearly 1,300 projects valued at more than USD$418 billion (NZD$536 billion) are under construction in the UAE, with an additional 303 projects worth $143 billion in the design, planning or bidding stage. Surging demand from the Middle East’s rapidly growing and high-income population has raised annual food imports to over $25 billion (NZD$32.3 billion), according to TradeArabia.com., quoting of an upcoming food event in Abu Dhabi.