The Negros Oriental Food Producers Association Inc. (NOFPAI) has generated over P633,000 in less than a week in food sales during the Negros Oriental Food Exhibition (NOFEX) 2024 at Robinsons Place Dumaguete.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with NOFPAI has organized the food fair to create more avenues or platforms for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in celebration of this year’s MSME Development Week with the theme, “Innovate to Elevate MSMEs” from July 11 to 17.
This event showcases and sells food and beverage products of NOFPAI members so they can become more competitive entrepreneurs.
With 27 exhibitors, the food expo stages homegrown food products with approved market authorization from the with Food and Drug Administration.
In a Kapihan sa PIA forum, DTI provincial director Nimfa Virtucio said various local food products can compete with the best goods elsewhere.
She added “although these are made locally, but they are at par or even better with advance packaging from other products.”
Virtucio assured that the manufacturers of food producers have passed extensive study not only from DTI but from other government agencies.
This year’s week-long event featured an array of food products, which include fresh agricultural produce, processed and bottled food, healthy snacks, traditional delicacies, and wines and beverages, among others.
“With the help of DTI, at least our products are introduced to make it known in the market like this kind of food expo,” said NOFPAI president Raymond Georpe in the same forum.
Members of the association are grateful to the administration for giving the local entrepreneurs the platform to promote local entrepreneurship and the province’s economic growth.
Georpe said the exhibition focuses on the local food industry through booths from different enterprises, seminars on financial skills and business development, and SB Corp’s RISE Up loan program, among others, to sustain the gains of MSMEs in the province.
DTI is committed to helping MSMEs widen their opportunities to further improve their products and market access. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)
