LEYTE’S PRIDE. The chocolate moron is one of the most famous products of Leyte. Producers of the native delicacy have joined the Bahandi annual trade fair on November 16-20, 2020 that went online for the first time this year and generated PHP8.12 million in total sales. (Photo courtesy of Bahandi Regional Trade Fair)
TACLOBAN CITY – The first-ever virtual trade fair for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Eastern Visayas has surpassed its target sales, overcoming challenges in selling products online.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported on Friday the online Bahandi Trade Fair held on November 16-20 has generated total sales of PHP8.12 million, with PHP1.56 million in sales, PHP6.55 million in booked orders, and PHP501,600 under negotiation.
The total sales figure is 162.5 percent higher than the PHP5 million target, DTI 8 (Eastern Visayas) director Celerina Bato said.
"From the original PHP1 million target sales, we increased it to PHP5 million after our Undersecretary's (DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona) challenging but very inspirational message during the opening ceremony. Indeed, we were a bit apprehensive as this was our first time to stage a virtual regional trade fair plus the unstable and poor connectivity that the Region 8 MSMEs have, most especially in the provinces,” Bato said in a statement.
The top-seller producer for the food sector was Alboco Food Industry, a maker of peanut butter, based in this city while for the non-food sector, the top-seller was Ma. Delza's Native Products, a producer of native bags and mats in Basey, Samar.
“To all the 100 MSME exhibitors who participated, I hope that they have learned a lot and something new from virtual online selling out of their participation in the first-ever virtual trade fair as they gained sales as well,” she added.
The 100 MSMEs in Eastern Visayas joined the opening program of the trade fair via Zoom.
Aside from the respective MSMEs Facebook page, their products were also displayed through the Bahandi Eastern Visayas Regional Trade Fair social media page.
Bahandi, the local term for wealth, is a regular trade fair organized by the DTI in malls based in the National Capital Region and Tacloban City. (PNA)
