The Negros Occidental booth showcasing various premium food products at the International Food Exposition Philippines 2018.
(Photo courtesy of Mary Achy Azuro)
BACOLOD CITY -- Exhibitors from Negros Occidental took home some PHP18 million in sales in the just-concluded three-day International Food Exposition (IFEX) Philippines 2018 held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
This year’s sales represents a 500 percent increase from the previous year’s PHP3 million sales figure, based on figures released by the provincial government on Tuesday.
A total of 26 participants from Negros Occidental, including three local government units, joined the event held from May 26 to 28.
In 2017, only 12 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the province took part in the exhibits.
Of the total sales, the Negrense exhibitors generated PHP110,000 from direct sales and PHP2.34 million from bookings. The rest, which amounted to P15.6 million, was from negotiated sales.
Foreign buyers included those from Dubai of United Arab Emirates, United States, New Zealand, Australian, Qatar, Cyprus, Korea, and Singapore.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. in a press statement said he is optimistic that investments for Negrense marine products were further strengthened through the province’s participation in the IFEX Philippines 2018.
He added that aside bookings from Dubai, four Negrense exporters had transactions for dried fish products like herring, brown scad, sea bream, threadfin, shrimps and sea weeds, with various foreign investors.
“Foreign buyers were impressed with the Negrense exporters especially on the quality and consistency of supply, timely delivery, and shelf life extension of the products,” the governor said.
This year’s exhibitors from Negros Occidental were Cadiz City, Himamaylan City and Manapla town along with 23 MSMEs. These included New Wave Exporters Inc., HLS Aqua Products, Fishta Seafoods, Gem Foods International Inc., Satoca, Kusina Jamora, Ereñeta-Manaloto, Ading’s Gourmet Tuyo, Fresh Start Organics, MFK, Alter Trade Corp., Organic Producers in the Island of Negros Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Jarvis Gourmet Foods, Virgie’s Homemade Products, Norgi’s, Elizabeth, Anyols, Ophelia’’s Food Products, Melva’s Foods, Anna Prado, Oyen’s Food Products, Bobette’s Delicacies, and Sir Jess Enterprise.
IFEX Philippines, organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines and Asia’s ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products.
This year’s event featured the “The Best of the Seas.”
Lea Gonzales, provincial director of DTI-Negros Occidental, underscored the need to continuously improve the quality and packaging of Negrense food products. “We still need to improve our packaging particularly the design and type of materials to be more attractive to buyers,” she added.
Gonzales said the DTI will continue to provide assistance to producers in Negros Occidental to further improve the quality of their products and meet the standards. (PNA)
