TACLOBAN CITY—Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Eastern Visayas get a much-needed boost in sales and exposure from the recently concluded Bahandi 2007 trade fair in Metro Manila.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Cynthia R. Nierras said local producers sold more than P32 million worth of items, almost double their target of P16.5 million. She said the amount only includes cash and order, and does not cover those under negotiations.
She said 132 producers participated in this year’s Bahandi as compared to 106 producers last year.
“Our products are getting better, and our producers are improving and getting bigger,” Nierras added.
She said holding a trade fair like the yearly Bahandi is important for micro, small and medium enterprises, especially for the new producers, because it gives their products a wide exposure and connects them to regular buyers, including exporters. Nierras added the goal is to find markets for local products.
She said Bahandi provides a venue for the regular producers to reconnect with their buyers, on a one-on-one setting together with their new or improved products. Likewise, she added, new producers can also meet buyers from Manila, both the institutional buyers as well as retailers.
Nierras said the big sales made this year could help boost local production, provide employment for additional workers in the industries and higher income for farmers who supply the raw materials.
“This is our way to improve the economic activity in the region and get more people employed,” Nierras said.
Most of the participants in Bahandi 2017 were processed-food producers, while less than a third of exhibitors were into handicrafts. The five-day Bahandi 2017 was held from October 4 to 8 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
Nierras added many local producers now exporting their products to other countries started in Bahandi where they met their counterparts.
Meanwhile, Nierras said the DTI also recently conducted an entrepreneurship mind-setting aimed at giving SMSEs “the right mind-set to be successful.”
Another activity conducted was a logistics caravan, where logistics industry players in Manila were invited to assess the local logistics industry. She said such a caravan is important for local producers because the industry supports the shipment of local products.