Local producers showcase products at organic agri expo

NEW AND GROWING organic enterprises showcased their products and tapped market opportunities during a three-day expo as part of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) 11th Organic Agriculture Month celebration.

The 7th Philippine Natural and Organic Products Expo, held from Nov. 7 to 9 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, showcased 44 booths featuring a diverse range of natural and organic products from local producers.

The expo featured a variety of fresh and processed foods, textiles, personal care products, and soil enhancers. The event also provided technical support through DA partner agencies, including the Agricultural Training Institute and the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service.

“Alam natin ang organic hindi lang basta masustansya, mas masarap pa, kaya napakahalaga. Merong potential talaga ng niche marketing ang organic,” Senator Francis “Kiko” N. Pangilinan, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, said in a keynote speech.

The DA-National Organic Agriculture Program (DA-NOAP) said 191 new organic enterprises were established this year under the Organic Agriculture Livelihood Project, each receiving grants of up to P5 million.

The project supports certified farmers, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and local governments promoting organic agriculture.

Meanwhile, the DA said its Youth Internship Program on Organic Agriculture benefited 445 participants who have successfully established their own enterprises.

This year, the DA-NOAP is piloting the Kababaihan at Kabataan para sa Kalusugan, Kalikasan, at Kabuhayan project to establish community organic gardens in barangays. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel