BACOLOD CITY -- Producers from Negros Occidental earned PHP25.5-million in total sales during the five-day 32nd Negros Trade Fair held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City until Sunday.
The amount is 30 percent higher compared to last year’s PHP19.5 million earnings, figures provided by the organizer, Association of Negros Producers (ANP), as of Monday showed.
The event, themed “Food for Thought,” was participated by 73 booths where guests experienced the authentic flavors of Negros from September 27 to October 1.
ANP president Christina Gaston attributed the higher sales to the joint efforts of member-entrepreneurs, who worked hard to present new products, especially food, with more dining areas.
She added that they had good merchandizing, new booth layouts, and good marketing promotions.
Gaston said the strong and efficient collaboration and support of stakeholders, including the provincial government and other government agencies have also greatly contributed to the trade fair’s success.
"A trade fair that was born out of unity 32 years ago has evolved into a gathering characterized by unity amid diversity,” she said.
Gaston said that everyone worked towards one goal without competition for the prosperity of all Negrenses.
The top five grossers were Negros Oriental Arts and Heritage, NVC Foundation Inc., Felicia’s, Inasalan sa Dalan, and Virgie’s Homemade Products.
Aside from food, the trade fair also featured products from the gifts, decor and homestyle, fashion and garments, furniture and furnishings, natural and organic, and tourism sectors.
Some of the highlights of the trade fair included the Negros First Food launching, and the Silay City and Bacolod City Nights.
Gaston said the annual trade fair shows that Negros has so much to offer. (PNA)
