Business stakeholders in Bohol are going green and focusing on the European market as they open the five-day 23rd Sandugo Trade Expo in Bohol on Wednesday.
The festival carries the theme “Greening business, winning markets,” which is aimed at the growing market for environment-friendly products.
“Europe is currently the biggest market for green products and this doesn’t only mean using recycled products, it could also mean implementing environment-friendly measures in your production processes,” said Regional Director Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas.
Caberte said the DTI and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry partnered with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), and the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCP) to enhance the competitiveness of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bohol.
She said this would include helping the MSMEs in greening their operations to suit demands abroad specifically in Europe.
Under the GIZ assistance, Philippines has an allocation of 10 million Euros for projects develop the MSME sector.
“Right now our focus is on green products because we see a huge demand globally for these products brought about by the awareness of many consumers on climate change,” said GIZ program manager Volker Steigerwald.
DTI-Siquijor Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio said the expo has become a venue for MSMEs to test market their products like Negros Oriental’s Muscovado Sugar which is already being sold in Japan and Korea as healthy sugar because it requires less processing.
DTI Negros Oriental Provincial Director Javier Fortunato, Jr. said that MSMEs in their province are developinh coco sugar which is good for diabetes.
A total of 85 exhibitors this year are displaying products such as jewelry and fashion accessories, home furnitures, bags, and home decor from different provinces in the region, said DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Elena Arbon.
“This is the first time that we have also engaged different local governments to promote their tourism destinations as part of our thrust to link the MSMEs to local tourism stakeholders,” Caberte said.
Caberte sai local tourism establishments could be a market for local products that have world-class quality and competitive prices.
Today, a “matching” event will be held with hotels and resort operators who will get to meet local producers aside from the big market abroad,” Caberte said.
The private sector still needs more information about how else they can inject “green” concepts in their operations and come up with a green product, said BCCI representative Marietta Gasatan.
Steigerwald said that there’s a need to start shifting to green business to be at par with global trends.
“As of now, known green brands are Nature’s Legacy of Pete Delantar and Kenneth Cobonpue. These brands have already made us attractive to the European market and they will start looking for more, so we really have to start now so that when the demand comes, we are ready,” said Faye Sena of the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In a previous statement, Philexport-Cebu executive director Fred Escalona said that exporters were starting to shift to green products.
“This is part of our core strategies included in our Export Development Plan for 2011 to 2013 to help us achieve our goal of P120 billion in export sales,” he said.
He said that a number of exporters were venturing into the natural and organic products market.
Today, an SME Summit will be held at MetroCentre Hotel in Bohol.
More input about the growth in demand of green products will be the topic for tomorrow’s forum at the Island City Mall.