AGRIBUSINESS participating in the upcoming Davao Agri-Trade Expo (Date) 2020 can expect to reach a wider market as it goes virtual for the first time.
"For as long as we are not allowed to do live events, we have to really go virtual. The opportunity this provides is we are really reaching out to a much wider audience unlike before when you have to depend on people flying in or the local market. This time, it becomes an opportunity for everybody from all over the world. That is an opportunity we want to take advantage of," Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) president John Carlo Tria said.
He said they are putting up a website Date 2020 that will serve as the portal of the virtual trade fair and for other events, like webinars.
"If you notice ang mga agribusinesses, not many of them are online. This is an opportunity for them to be online," he said.
Tria said the theme of the Date 2020, which is slated on October 30, will be on innovations in agriculture as the sector copes with the changing times brought about by the pandemic.
"We really want to bring a lot of technology because we think that it will help those in the agriculture sector to be more competitive," he said.
Tria added that they see that the post-pandemic economic growth "will be very fast."
"If you notice naga-plateau na ang total cases sa Pilipinas. The trend is that the situation is improving and because of that, the economy is likely to open more. That is a good opportunity for business," he said.
The theme this also allows the organizers of Date 2020 to take advantage of the increased awareness and openness of agribusinesses to digital platforms.
"A good number have already done a fairly good migration in the sense that their websites and social media accounts are more interactive," Tria said.
He said this is evident with many home-based agribusinesses that took advantage of digital technology to sell their products and reach out to their market.
In a statement, Date 2020 chairperson Cherrylin Casuga said the virtual exhibit will highlight Mindanao agricultural products, such as the golden crops (cocoa, coffee, coconut, corn cassava, rice, and banana), livestock (cattle, swine/hogs), poultry (chicken and eggs), and the aquaculture sectors.
"This will also showcase technologies, new trends, logistics, and new allied services for the agribusiness sector. Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar will grace the launch of the online platform," she said.
There will also be a series of webinars in November that will focus on market access, financing, logistics, and technology.