THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Wednesday said that coconut farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the Calabarzon region had generated P17.58 million in sales during a Coconut Philippines trade fair last month.
This included P10.69 million in direct cash sales and P6.90 million in booked orders to be fulfilled after the event.
“The P17.58 million in combined cash and booked sales shows what our farmers and MSMEs can achieve when they are given access to wider markets,” DTI Laguna Provincial Director Christian Ted Tungohan said.
The trade fair featured 61 exhibitors from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. Of this, 47 were beneficiaries of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), and 14 were One Town, One Product entrepreneurs from Laguna.
Their product lineups included value-added coconut-based products such as food and beverages, health and wellness products, personal care items, handicrafts and fashion goods.
The DTI said CFIDP farmers and small business owners had significantly increased their earning potential by transitioning from raw coconut harvesting to processed, value-added goods.
