A FOUR-DAY trade fair and exhibit will open at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City Wednesday, October 23.
Dubbed “Aspire sa MassKara 2019,” the activity is in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
Aspire, or the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Regional Enterprises, is a joint program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) along with other private sector industry groups.
About 20 booths will display and promote the priority commodities in Western Visayas.
DA-Western Visayas, in a statement, said various agri-fishery products and by-products will be available for sale like seasonal fruits from Aklan, dried fish from Capiz, peanut and sweets from Antique, Roselle products from Iloilo, and a wide-range of Negros Occidental’s champion products like coffee, cacao, banana chips, herbs and spices, and fishery by-products, among others.
Through the integration of the three implementing agencies, the market development support services for the farmers, fisherfolk, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and other stakeholders will now be planned.
These are also aligned to meet a common promotional strategy and investment opportunities of regional priority agri-fishery commodities with strong backward linkage with farmers and fisherfolk.
The regional line agency said Aspire also aims to build strong partnerships and convergence with other government and private sector industry groups.
The three components of Aspire which are investment and enterprise development, industry support, and market promotions will be spearheaded by the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of DA-Western Visayas.
Through these program components, the agency can provide the market with quality product, as well as provision of technical and financial support to farmers and fisherfolks, it added.
The DTI, meanwhile, will guide and assist the agripreneurs and serve as partners in promotion, coordination, and facilitation of trade of the country’s regional champion commodities.
The PCCI together with other industry private sector groups will help on advocating for business growth and sustainable development through provision of business services, chamber development, and positive trade relations.