Cotabato City (August 27, 2020) – After a 3-day fruitful festivity, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism (MTIT), and the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Coconut Authority XIV (PCA XIV-BARMM) concluded Thursday, August 27, the 34th National Coconut Week celebration in the region.
Around 300 delegates, including business councilors and experts and members of agricultural cooperatives, participated during the 3-day event, which highlighted activities such as food exhibits, forums, business counselling, among others.
MAFAR Minister Dr Mohammad S. Yacob commended the ministries, regional offices, and partner stakeholders for their contributions for the successful 2020 National Coconut month celebration in the BARMM.
“The triumph of the event is due to the contribution of everybody and this collaboration translates that we can actually accomplish successful events like this,” Yacob expressed.
Yacob also counselled the agricultural cooperatives to assess the price of their finished products by comparing it to the actual market price demand.
“Instead of seeking for the certification from Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we might as well pursue Halal certification as it promotes purity of our product,” Yacob said.
Meanwhile, MTIT Minister Abuamri A. Taddik highlighted the importance of partnership to further improve the region’s agriculture sector such as the coconut industry.
“The program of our Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim is to reform our agriculture sector’s system and as his constituents, we must maximize our coconut production in support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Plant, Plant, Plant program,” Taddik shared.
In a span of two and a half days, the MAFARlengke food exhibit was able to earn a total of P169,991.00 combined-sales of food stalls including coconut-based and agri-produced products from farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives from the region.
During Thursday’s ceremony, 23 food exhibitors and the technical working group from MAFAR, MTIT and PCA XIV-BARMM were given certificates to recognize their valuable support and immense contributions.
PCA XIV-BARMM regional manager Marina B. Wahab said she looks forward to more lucrative engagements with the region’s ministries and challenged the farmers and stakeholders to do more and advance their coconut business ventures. (Bureau of Public Information)
