PARTICIPATING-farmers and producers generated total sales of almost P1.65 million during the four-day 12th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival (NIOFF) that ended Saturday.
The amount was totaled from the sales of close to 130 exhibitors, including service providers, who displayed their products at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) earlier reported that sales amounting to almost P732,000 were generated during the first two days of the festival.
Bigger sales were generated in the last two days at P918,000.
Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said one of the objectives in hosting the annual festival is providing organic farmers and producers the opportunity to earn more.
He said access to market has been one of the pressing concerns in the organic agriculture sector which the provincial government is addressing.
“We have the capacity to produce but most of our farmers are challenged on how to sell their products,” Masculino, adding that through initiatives like organic festival "they are given the venue to directly sell without passing through middlemen resulting to bigger income."
Themed "Go Organic for Health and Prosperity," the activity has brought organic products closer to consumers in the province.
A wide-variety of organic produce and items were sold, including fresh vegetables, grains, fruits, juices, honey, native delicacies, plants and herbs, dried fish, processed food, dairy products, as well as farm machineries, among others.
For the Organic Lamb Cooking Contest, students from Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Talisay City won as champion and third place while Central Philippines State University in Kabankalan City was second place.
Masculino said this year's festival again successfully featured organic agriculture farmers, advocates, entrepreneurs, food producers and processors, cooperatives, indigenous people, and non-government organizations from different local government units in Negros Island.
Masculino reiterated that aside from promoting the products, the festival is also aimed at further pushing the expansion of agricultural areas in the province devoted to organic.
“As the market demand for organic continues to increase, we also need to produce more,” he added.
The NIOFF, meanwhile, continues to be a collaborative effort of the provincial government with various partners.
These include the Organic Na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association, Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Agriculture, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Science and Technology, Bureau of Plant Industry, and other government and private groups.