The Department of Trade and Industry in Davao Region (DTI-11), in partnership with the Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation Inc., ended 2022 with a trade fair that raked in PHP7.2 million in sales.

In a statement Wednesday, DTI-11 Director Maria Belenda Ambi said the amount represents the total sales for retail, booked and under negotiation.

The MTE Christmas Edition, dubbed as “Buy Local By Lokals”, on Dec. 14 to 18 here was participated in by at least 130 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Their products range from fashion accessories to gifts, decors, and furniture and fixtures, and processed food. The Buy Local By Lokals theme is based on the endless campaign of the agency to entice people in supporting local products,” Ambi said.

At least 61 of the featured exhibitors from the region were Kapatid Mentor Me graduates, who occupied the 12 booths provided by DTI for each of its six provincial and field offices throughout the Davao Region.

“The key goal here is to boost their entrepreneurial capacity through improved access to mentorship, money and market,” Ambi added.

To prepare small-scale entrepreneurs for trade fairs and widen their markets, DTI-11 has provided them with intensive product development packages, seminars and training activities, she said.

“We at DTI ensure that we provide interventions according to our MSMEs’ needs. Aside from our in-house specialists on the different facets of the business, we have also partnered with various industry leaders and experts to prepare and improve them more,” she said.

As of December 2022, DTI 11 has assisted a total of 26,036 MSMEs in the region or some 103 percent of the agency’s annual target. (PNA)