NEXT week's Irish food fair should boost exports by £100 million next year, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates.
Speaking after the initial launch of Horizons, the Irish food and drink conference and exhibition, Mr Yates told The Irish Times he hoped up to £100 million of extra sales would be generated by the £4 million exhibition.
"We will be closely monitoring the effect", he said. "This is the only food exhibition focused on the products of one country."
Mr Yates said the success of the exhibition "had surpassed all expectations and the conference speakers read like a "who's who of food opinions globally".
The exhibition took 27 months to organise and is running in conjunction with the biannual IFEX (International Food Exhibition).
It is expected to attract up to 609 foreign buyers with a combined spending power of £100 billion.
"It will seek to marry the traditional Irish green grass image with the modern reality of high technology," said Mr Yates.
An Bord Bia has contributed almost £1 million to the exhibition and conference while the private sector has put up £3 million, according to An Bord Bia's chief executive, Mr Michael Duffy.
The exhibition will run in the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin, from Tuesday to Thursday next week. It will feature 260 Irish exhibitors and over 30 new products will be launched to delegates from 32 countries.
An Bord Bia has organised a reception in Dublin Castle on Tuesday night for key buyers as well as a day out at Leopardstown.
Eimear Quinn, Ireland's latest Eurovision winner, and flamboy ant TV chef Keith Floyd will be roam in g the exhibition area.
In addition, An Bord Bia is attempting to promote a new Irish cuisine. "The Irish restaurant could be as big as the Irish pub abroad in years to come," said Mr Yates.
To that end the board sponsored an Irish chef of the year award. The winner was Mr Gerry Galvin of Drimcong House Restaurant, Moycullen, Co Galway.
Conference speakers include Mr Peter Sutherland, chairman of Goldman Sachs International Senator Feargal Quinn, chief executive of Superquinn Mr George Bull, chairman of Grand Metropolitan, and Dr Tony O Reilly, president of HJ Heinz.
