“Produkto Antiqueño” trade, tourism, agri-aqua fair has helped micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs), farmers, local government units and cooperative members promote their products and earn income.

The Dec. 11-20 fair is part of the annual Binirayan Festival of Antique that opened on Dec. 1.

Helen Ronquillo, caretaker of the San Jose de Buenavista Garden Club, said they are optimistic that they could earn as much as PHP100,000 like last year.

“There are lots of people, especially in the afternoon, who come to buy aglaonema, eugenia, and other plants for landscaping,” she said.

Happy Farm marketing officer May Viesca said they hope to make a good promotion and sales.

The exhibitor sells seedlings of grafted avocado and various varieties of coconut, including macapuno and tacunan dwarf coconut.

Around five cooperatives from the different municipalities joined in the trade fair in coordination with the Antique Provincial Cooperative Development Office.

The Belison Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) earns an average of PHP2,000 from its fresh milk, according to its marketing officer Romela Elio.

The cooperative received assistance from the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and has been supplying dairy to the Department of Education Schools Division of Antique for its feeding program.

Another cooperative is the Mensa Domini MPC, which sells cookies and other baked products recycled by the missionary sisters of the Lord’s Table or Mensa Domini from leftovers of bread used for communion and vigil candles.

The municipality of San Remigio sells high-value crops such as bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and other produce from the greenhouse in Barangay Aningalan and gemstone trees.

“The trade fair is really a good promotion event for the farmers and processors in our municipality,” said Jovanie Cabaya, who worked as Administrative IV at the local government.

Antique Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs officer Juan Carlos Perlas said they expect an influx of people during the Binirayan Festival, which kicked off on Dec. 1-20 this year, because it is their biggest cultural and historical event highlighting the province as the first Malay settlement in the country.

“We invite tourists to come to witness the Binirayan Festival for there are several various activities being held,” Perlas said in a previous interview. (PNA)