PARTICIPATING producers and local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have generated about P18 million in sales during the three-day International Food Exposition (Ifex) Philippines 2018 held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City until Sunday, May 27.
The figure is five times higher than last year’s sales of about P3 million with 12 participating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the provincial government reported yesterday, May 28.
Reports further showed that participants from the province raked in P110,000 and P2.34 million in direct sales and bookings, respectively.
The remaining P15.6 million is accounted for the negotiated sales, it added.
Among the buyers of Negrense products include those from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United States, New Zealand, Australian, Qatar, Cyprus, Korea, and Singapore.
Joy Ogan, executive assistant to the governor, earlier told SunStar Bacolod that the provincial government is banking on more number of exporter-exhibitors from the province to generate higher sales this year.
Ogan said of the 26 local participants, four are exporters who showcased their products at the international pavilion.
Last year, no exporter-exhibitor from the province joined the exposition.
“With better quality products now, Negrense producers were also expected to rake in higher sales this year,” she reiterated.
Local participants in the Ifex 2018 include 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 Corporation, Organic Producers in the Island of Negros Multipurpose, 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.
Aside from enterprises, three LGUs joined Ifex. These are Cadiz City, Manapla, and Himamaylan City.
The provincial government has allocated about P800,000 in assistance that would cover their expenses on freight, and space rentals.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., in a press statement, expressed optimism that prospects for more investments of Negrense marine products both in the local and international markets were further strengthened through the Ifex Philippines 2018.
Marañon said aside from bookings with buyers in Dubai, four Negrense exporters also facilitated transactions for dried fish products like herring, brown scad, sea bream, threadfin, shrimps, and seaweeds, among others, with various foreign investors.
“Foreign buyers were impressed to the Negrense exporters especially on the quality and consistency of the availability of supply, timely delivery and shelf life extension of the products,” he added.
The annual event, meanwhile, was organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in collaboration with other agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA).
It 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.
Featuring “The Best of the Seas,” the three-day event is reputed as the premier business-to-business platform for local and international food companies to discover new markets, launch new products, and transact with the world’s biggest buyers.