The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply has announced the return of the Malta International Food Festival.

This five-day festival will be held between Wednesday 5 August and Sunday 9 August at the Floriana Granaries.

The Malta International Food Festival will be celebrating its tenth edition, commencing on Wednesday, through a larger and more varied programme. The Ministry said that this event will look to bring together the best flavours from around the world in a celebration of food, culture, and entertainment.

The festival will open daily from 6pm till midnight at the Floriana Granaries. The Ministry invites all members of the general public to attend this event, which will combine the best flavours, culture, and entertainment, while giving prominence to quality products produced by Maltese labourers.

Over the past decade, the festival has continued to grow with each passing year to become one of the largest gastronomic events in the country, welcoming thousands of Maltese, Gozitans, foreigners, and tourists in each edition.

During these upcoming five days, visitors will have the opportunity to taste over 1,000 dishes deriving from 42 international cuisines. Prominent space will be provided to show off Maltese cuisine and local products to promote the quality, authenticity, and value of Maltese produce, the Ministry stated.

The festival will bring together more than 100 exhibitors, including restaurants, producers, importers, and leading brands within the food and beverage industry.

Aside from the culinary experience, the programme will also include daily musical performances, cultural performances, activities for the whole family, a children's area, and various other attractions that make this festival one of the most anticipated events in the Maltese summer calendar, the Ministry stated.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply, Anton Refalo, said that festivals like this one present an important opportunity to give Maltese products the prominence they deserve by placing them at the centre of the gastronomic experience.

"The Malta International Food Festival is an important platform that not only celebrates the cuisines of the world, but also gives space and visibility to our local products," Minister Refalo said.

Minister Refalo commented that "it is our duty to continue creating opportunities" to promote local quality products made available thanks to Maltese farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and producers, so that these products can be known and appreciated by all. He said that through initiatives like this festival, "we are continuing to strengthen the Maltese agri-food chain while promoting Malta as a high-level gastronomic destination."

The Minister for Equality and Civil Rights, Rosianne Cutajar, congratulated the festival's organisers and expressed satisfaction with the Ministry's renewed participation via the Human Rights Directorate, which she said has once again brought together several international communities present in the country to participate in this festival over the coming days.

She said that the dining table is a place of true integration where everyone comes together, which is particularly important "in a diverse and multicultural society such as ours." Minister Cutajar added that, through this festival, people can get to know each other and tear down prejudices, so that everyone can be treated equally and with full respect.

The Ministry for Agriculture concluded its statement by noting that the Malta International Food Festival continues to serve as an important platform for the promotion of Maltese products, as well as for the creation of new opportunities for local producers, operators, and businesses, while bolstering Malta's reputation as a gastronomic destination at the heart of the Mediterranean.