By Saul Pa-a/PNA
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — Organic products of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Region 4-A (Calabarzon) took the spotlight at a trade fair, drawing interest from entrepreneurs.
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Director for Public Assistance and Media Relations Service Cleon Lester Chavez said the five-day trade event that culminates Friday showcased ARB products from Calabarzon and other regions.
“The ARB products have attracted the public, particularly entrepreneurs, who are taking interest in the agricultural products of the women farmers,” Chavez said.
The trade fair, held at the DAR central office in Quezon City from March 25 to 29, gave farmers, agricultural workers and agri-preneurs a chance to showcase their products that are mostly organic and of world-class quality.
“Most of the farmer-beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) are well-trained and skilled in developing their products. They take pride in their products as you can see on how well-packaged and -presented they are,” said Judy Formoso, regional marketing assistant officer of Calabarzon.
Noven Dondan, production supervisor of two fruit beverage companies, visited the Calabarzon ARB booth and expressed admiration for the quality of the fruits and vegetables, prompting initial talks with the region’s cooperatives for ARB organizations to become their companies’ food suppliers.
“The farmers’ products looked so great that we needed to check them out immediately and ask if they could provide us the goods we need,” Dondan said.
He said their companies, Fruit Magic and Pure Nectar, have been employing middlemen, who have been supplying them fruits in the past 25 years.
“With our visit to this expo, we are hoping that we can get a better deal with the farmers and at the same time, provide the farmers with new markets,” he added.
The two food commodity companies currently have 200 outlets distributing bottled cold-pressed fruit juices. Another enterprise development and livelihood marketing officer, Jessie Udani of The Andres Soriano Foundation, also visited the trade event looking for cooperatives for possible tie-ups to help boost the foundation’s livelihood program.
“We provide our farmers in Cuyo, Agutaya, and Magsaysay in Palawan with livelihood programs and we’re interested if they (the DAR and the cooperatives) could teach us new skills and technology in processing our products, like mushrooms, turmeric and copra, the way ARBs do,” Udani said.
Elfleda Mercado, DAR-Pampanga personnel, said they would bring more products from the province in future ARB trade events after noting that half of the products displayed in their booth were easily sold.
