Wednesday, August 23, 2006

The Good News: MinBizCon Trade Fair Expected To Generate Millions In Revenues

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Darwin Wee / August 23) Some P30 million in revenues are expected from a three-day trade fair, a side event of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon), which will begin August 31 in Zamboanga City, Filipino trade officials said Wednesday.

Hermie B. Cuevas, a division chief of the Department of Trade and Industry in Western Mindanao, said the upbeat projection came after hundreds of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) have confirmed their participation in the international conference.

"We are confident that we can go beyond P30-million in trade exhibit sales,to include product orders and negotiations," she told the Mindanao Examiner.
The DTI and some major sponsors to the conference are expected to put up at least three different kinds of booths to cater to the various needs of MinBizCon participants and potential buyers.
The three booths arefor international showcase, investment and services, and other souvenirs and food items, among others.
Cuevas said half of the more than 100 SMEs, which signed up to join the exhibition and trade fair are local manufacturers. She said among the best selling products Zamboanga has to offer include canned and bottled sardines, fashion accessories made from sea shells and other marine resources.

She said entrepreneurs in Zamboanga Peninsula are now venturing into new products such as bottled calamansi juice, vacuum packed-dried fish, furniture and home furnishing products and assorted souvenirs, from jewelry boxes made from mother of pearl and sea shells to the more intricate, hand-woven Yakan cloth.

Zamboanga Peninsula's entrepreneurs came out on topof the SME's in Mindanao after posting a significant sale of P19 million worth of products during the Yamang Mindanao Exhibit held in General Santos City,in July.
Cuevas said Zamboanga Peninsula has at least 17,000 existing SME's and up to 70% of them are into food processing.
Sitti Amina Jain, DTI assistant regional director, said government agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology,Technical Education of Skills and Development Authority agreed to help assist existing and emerging SMEs in product development program.

The program has already assisted at least 41 local entrepreneurs, who are also expected to showcase their own products during the business conference here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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