The Vice-President of the Government conveyed in Lisbon the belief that the development of the Azorean economy "will always involve the strengthening of the agri-food sector and the search for new markets."
 
Sérgio Ávila spoke to journalists during a visit made to the Azores stand at the 21st International Trade Fair for Portuguese Food and Beverage (SISAB Portugal) taking place until Wednesday.
 
"The contact I had with the Azorean companies represented here raise the prospect that 2016 will be a year of rapid growth in terms of sales," Sérgio Ávila said, noting that the main issue now concerns our production capacity to respond to the market needs.
 
"This is an important issue," the government official said, stressing that, after the creation of the Azores Brand, "quite visible" in this event, "it is time for this project to bear fruit for companies in terms of increased sales volume and added value generation."
 
In this context, he considered that "there is no better strategy than being in contact with buyers and importers from all over the world to be able to grow."
 
"What I feel, on the part of our businesspeople, is a huge confidence and the expectation that 2016 will be a year of major growth," said Sérgio Ávila.
 
The Vice-President of the Government also stated that, "due to the increasing demand" for regional products, "the vast majority of businesspeople intend to make new investments in order to boost their production and, thus, meet the needs of growing demand."
 
"This is a good sign, a sign of trust that adds up to the increase in the support to the export of regional products, namely the incentive system for internationalisation with special emphasis on the support to transport, which is set at 90%, and the support to refrigerated transport," added Sérgio Ávila.
 
The presence of Azorean companies at SISAB 2016 was organised by the Society for Business Development of the Azores (SDEA) in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores.
 
The SISAB Portugal is considered to be the largest annual platform for leading companies and businesspeople in exports, where national companies can find the most important importers of the food industry from the five continents.
 
The event, which features about 700 national companies and 4,000 brands and products from 28 sectors of activity, is visited by 2,000 international buyers from 80 countries.