THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has also recognized the need to assist small producers among rural and agricultural areas in the province to grow through one, developing their entrepreneurial mindset.
Rachel Nufable, chief trade and industry development specialist of DTI-Negros Occidental, said some of the exhibitors at the ongoing 9th Negros Business Week at Robinsons Place Bacolod are also assisted by the agency.
Nufable said they were provided with basic entrepreneurial skills development training through various projects of the DTI, like those initiated by the Negosyo Centers, in partnership with the local government units (LGUs).
The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), the organizer of the annual business week, has earlier defined “blue-collar” entrepreneurs as those who really dirty their hands in producing their products.
These are small businesses, specifically mom and pop stores, that need to be developed in order to tap bigger potential markets outside their locality.
“These are the same enterprises that we are assisting,” she said, adding that the development of entrepreneurial mindset among them is very important to become competitive amid the presence of new and big market players.
The week-long activity, from July 8 to 15, has gathered at least 30 exhibitors, mostly from localities outside Bacolod City.
In partnership with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, this is the business group’s measure to encourage livelihood and employment opportunities among rural areas while waiting for investments to come.
“We have to develop the rural areas or else private investments will not go there,” MBCCI Chief Executive Officer Frank Carbon earlier said.
For the DTI, which was also tapped by MBCCI for the activity, participants are considered raw material-based enterprises.
Nufable said through value-adding, producers are trained to develop whatever abundant resources in their respective locality.
As per observation, Nufable said there has been a market glut of agricultural produce in the province.
Due to abundant supply, products have very low prices. Sometimes these are not sold, or left rotten in the farm, she said.
“Thus, it is good that these raw materials are being processed to provide additional income to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” she said, adding that “if other countries are processing their raw materials, why cannot we process our own.”*