CEBU, Philippines - While Cebu’s tourism growth is on the upswing, tourism stakeholders are encouraging Cebuanos to take the opportunity of developing more products especially in the communities.
Robert Lim Joseph, chairman of the Network of Independent Travel Agencies (NITAs) said Cebuanos have the potential to develop more products aside from the traditional delicacies and souvenir items currently available in the market.
Joseph said the tourism industry offers a lot of opportunities for communities to generate income, however, tourists often look for products that are unique and exciting.
He suggested that while tropical fruits like mango, papaya, jackfruit, and banana, are attractive to foreigners, canned and bottled products of these fruits should also be made available to be at par with world-class quality.
Food technologists will also play a vital role in this opportunity, said Joseph.
In an earlier interview with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-7) regional director Efren Carreon, he said the development of processed agricultural products manufacturing is currently being pushed.
Carreon said with the growing technology more and more fruits that abundantly grow in the Visayas will now be processed as juice, pressurized packages, that are deemed profitable for both local and international markets.
Pushing agri-based manufacturing will not only help improve the employment rate in Cebu but it will also help farmers in other neighboring provinces like Negros, Bohol and even Leyte to increase cost of agricultural products like coconut, Guyabano, jackfruit, moringa (Malunggay) among others.
Farmers on the other hand, will be encouraged to grow fruits, and other agricultural products that have good demand volume. — Ehda M. Dagooc (FREEMAN)