The first Caraga Agricultural Trade and Marketing Exposition (CARAT Expo) 2016 could not be underestimated as an important marketing tool that reached a huge market at one go.

CARAT Expo 2016 provided Caraga farmers and local entrepreneurs to access a cost effective method to promote their products. The trade and marketing exposition became a platform to introduce the local products in the region.

Cooperation of the private sector and the national and local government agencies played an important role in raising awareness especially on the emerging buy products that the region can be proud of.

“Kayang-kaya basta’t sama-sama. This is the principle we have applied during the conduct of this five-day CARAT Expo. We have just witnessed the first exposition for this year and we are looking forward to a yearly exposition for the years to come in this region,” said Renato P. Manantan, OIC Regional Executive Director of DA–Caraga.

The trade and marketing exposition drove agricultural development and technology transfer, boosted regional and local industry by providing a show window for agri-investment opportunities.

“Department of Agriculture together with the national line agencies, and private sectors will continuously help our farmers to become agriculture entrepreneurs and will push forward the agriculture development in the region,” Director Manantan added.

During the culmination activity, DA received an award as one of the top grosser for the five-day trade and marketing exposition. A manifestation that there is money in agriculture.

“I am very grateful for the assistance of DA to showcase our product for the CARAT Expo. It gave us an opportunity to market Sunrise Corn Coffee with a wider market exposure. We only have ₱2,000 average daily sales, but with CARAT we gain more than what we expected,” said Alicia F. Paglinawan, Sunrise Corn Coffee Proprietor.

According to the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD), a total of ₱476,559 sales was reached by the DA-led farmer cooperatives, agri-entrepreneurs, and local government units.

Based on the average daily sales of each farmer cooperative and agri-entrepreneurs, an increase of 15-20% of daily sales was recorded during the trade expo compared to the daily operation of each farmer groups. (Rhea C. Abao – DA Caraga Information Section)