Monday, August 25, 2008 RP's trade fairs boost sales for Otop products
"ISLAND trade fairs", set up especially for the Philippines' "One Town One Product" (Otop) best output, boosted the sales of product items made by the country's small entrepreneurs.
Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz said the biggest sales were racked up by the Otop Mindanao Island Trade Fairs in 2006 and 2007, which generated total sales of P39.6 million and P46.8 million, respectively.
The latest Mindanao Island Trade Fair in Cagayan de Oro City, which opened in August 22 and will end on Monday, is expected to turn up even more sales for Otop products coming from all the provinces and regions of the southern island, according to Cruz.
"We're upbeat about the Otop trade fair in Cagayan de Oro City. From the looks of it, it can rake in more sales than in 2006 and 2007," Cruz said.
Island trade fairs are mounted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with other government agencies and local officials, to establish a sustainable market for locally produced items under the Otop program, according to the Trade Undersecretary.
Luzon island trade fairs for Otop products churned out total sales of P6.9 million in 2006, P13.1 million in 2007, and P14.2 million in 2008. Visayas trade fairs, on the other hand, turned in total sales of P4.1 million in 2006 and P3.4 million in 2007.
Overall, Otop products generated P2.2 billion from various trade fairs, exhibits, trade conferences, and market-matching activities nationwide during the last four years.
Otop promotes and markets the best Filipino products made by small entrepreneurs in towns, cities, and provinces in the country. The concept, adopted from Japan's "One Village One Product" or Ovop, is intended to stimulate economic growth in rural areas and help reduce poverty in the Philippines.
