DTI, SmedC trade fair features VisMin goods

The Bohol Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office, and its Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (SmedC) will kick off today the three-day Trade Fair showcasing products and services from all over the Visayas and Mindanao.

The fair has been organized in line with Bohol's celebration of its flagship festival "Sandugo 2006" that is expected to attract hundreds of Boholano balikbayans.

The trade fair, which is held at Bohol's Island City Mall, will converge entrepreneurs from regions 7, 6, 8. and Caraga province, to showcase handcrafted products, delicacies identified in the DTI's One-Town-One Province (OTOP) program.

DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte said this is the best time of Visayan-based entrepreneurs to market their products to overseas market through the balikbayans visiting Bohol, and probably create business partnership for export transactions.

"The fair is not just mainly showcasing the best products we have in the Visayas, but it is actually a buying venue for the market to take advantage of prices direct from the manufacturers," Caberte said.

According to Caberte, Bohol province governor Erico Aumentado has enthusiastically supported the OTOP program of DTI. In fact, he has formed an OTOP committee headed by DTI and the president of the League of Mayors, and other trade organizations.

Fashion accessories, and home furnishing products from Cebu are also being showcased in the three-day fair, including other OTOP identified products in different towns in Cebu province, Caberte said.

Most of the OTOP's are focused on the crafts and processed food products, in Bohol, and other parts of the Visayas, and these in turn have a direct link with the various tourism development initiatives.

There are about 130 exhibitors participating in the fair, which opens today, Caberte said.

On the 22nd this month, an Investment Forum will be held and is expected to boost investment interest from capitalists all over the country, as well as balikbayans. DTI together with Bohol provincial government have already identified investment priorities in the area.