DTI eyes P11.3 million sales from Visayas trade fair

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is aiming to generate P11.3 million worth of sales from the Visayas regional trade fair Bahandi this year.

In a statement, the DTI said it also targets to create an additional 250 direct and indirect employment for the region from the 86 micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) exhibitors in the regional trade fair.

“The past Bahandi fairs reaped tangible and intangible successes for our MSMEs in Eastern Visayas and for the region. Through these fairs, our producers have generated sales and established market linkages that have sustained their businesses through the years,” DTI Region 8 director Cynthia Nierras said.

For this year, she said they hope to generate the same results for their exhibitors.

The annual regional trade fair started in 1993 to showcase newly developed products and designs of producers from the Eastern Visayas region.

The trade fair is likewise being held to cap the year-long entrepreneurial and technical assistance given to MSMEs in the region.

This year’s Bahandi trade fair started on Wednesday and will run until today (Sunday). It presents the new and improved products of MSMEs assisted by the DTI, the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agrarian Reform, and the local government units.