BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines — The 6th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival held at the Provincial Capitol grounds from December 16 to 20 earned P2 million in total sales, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said.
Marañon, who celebrated his birthday in Sagay City last week, told reporters that the just-concluded festival was successful and its earnings this year were five times more than last year.
“The good news is that the Manila-based chefs (and restaurateurs) promised to be back here next year and bring more products (form here to Manila). They also pledged to help market our organic products,” the governor said.
Twenty-five top chefs and restaurateurs, 17 of which were Manila-based, joined the organic festival through a CookFest, a cooking demonstration of their special menus using local and organic ingredients.
They also met with local farmers and fishermen for a Market Matching, where they identified potential sources of local and organic produce for their ingredients.
Ramon “Chin-chin” Uy Jr., president of Organik na Negros! Organic Producers and Retailers Association, said the chefs said Negros Island is a major source of organic products that they could not find them by bulk or with consistent supply in Luzon for their respective restaurants in Manila.
Uy said the organic food industry in Negros is more established because of the strong private-public partnership. “We have brought organic food to the mainstream. Buying organic directly also means better prices for our local farmers. The result is a dramatic increase in agri-tourism in the last several years,” he said.
“The Organic Festival has become a multi-sectoral event already, not just of the farmers, because everyone now wants to be involved in our organic advocacy,” Uy said.
“Going organic does not only affect the farmers, but also the consumers, community, wildlife and the environment. We need to work together because our food system is at stake, that’s why everyone is involved,” he added.
Considered the first and the longest-running festival of its kind in the country today, it highlighted Negros Island a major producer of organic food in the country.