THE Provincial Agri-Aqua Trade Fair and Exhibit 2019 at the Casa Real ended Sunday amid very satisfied participants, including several small and micro entrepreneurs.
Members and representatives of the Panay Organic Producers Association Agricultural Cooperative were the most prominent participants of the trade fair, and they were there to raise awareness about Iloilo’s agricultural and aquaculture industries, as well as to stand in solidarity with many smaller entrepreneurs.
And there were certainly plenty of successful and growing entrepreneurs at the trade fair. Among these was Flordeliza Decolongon of the OFW Dumangas North Chapter, who represented OFW entrepreneurs who had successfully started their own food processing or agricultural businesses.
Decolongon’s stall sold a wide variety of food products, including chips and processed fish products, many of which were bought by OFW outside the country. “Para sa akon, makabulig gid,” Decolongon said with regards to the trade fair. “May mga OFW nga gadala digto sa Singapore kag Hong Kong; ginabaligya man nila sa ila nga fellow OFW.”
Another prominent participant during the trade fair was Benilda Lorca, owner of Benild’s Tropical Fruit Wine, also said that the trade fair was a chance for her to give back to her community.
“Sa agri fair, ga hatag sa akon sang isa ka advertisement – ma-introduce ko man sa public kag tapos makahatag man ako sa community, especially sa Guimaras,” Lorca said.
But for entrepreneurs like William Canaan – a long-time producer of various Ilonggo food items, the fair was not just about him or his business. For him, it was also a platform to serve the public.
“Privileged kami nga mga small and micro entrepreneurs nga ging-host ni sang Department of Agriculture and with the DTI nga makabulig sa amon nga mag-present sang amon products kag at least ma-acknowledge sang pamuluyo. It’s not for us but for the public,” Canaan said./PN
