Davao City – The micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the region were big winners during the recently concluded International Food Expo (IFEX) Philippines 2022.
The 31 MSMEs, who participated in the three-day event in September, were able to hit P3,168,463,908.00 in export sales. This includes both the booked sales and those that are still under negotiation. Meanwhile, they collectively posted 38,571,587 in domestic sales. This is the total for booked, under negotiation, and retail/cash sales. Out of the 31 MSMEs, six participated through the virtual trade fair IFEX CONNECT using the platform “HOPIN”. While the 25 MSMEs were able to grace the physical trade fair and displayed their wares for everyone to see and taste.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in coordination with the Center for International Trade Exposition and Mission (CITEM), spearheaded the trade exhibition at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.
IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia’s ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, kinds of seafood, beverages, bakery, confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic and healthy food products. It provides a business-to-business platform for local and international food companies to discover new markets, launch new products and transact with the biggest buyers.
DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said that his latest feat of the Davao MSMEs is a result of several interventions – from product development to marketing and promotion.
“We at DTI ensure that we provide interventions according to what our MSMEs need. Aside from our in-house specialists on the different facets of business, we have also partnered with various industry leaders and experts to prepare and improve them more,” the local trade chief shared.
Ambi said that DTI will continue to assist the local MSMEs until they reach their full potential and corner more institutional buyers here and abroad.
As of September 2022, DTI 11 has already assisted a total of 23,446 MSMEs throughout Davao Region. This is 93 percent of its annual target of 25,200. ♦
Date of Release: 21 November 2022