The trade expo is among the highlights of the province’s 40th foundation anniversary and 7th T’nalak Festival.
Anchored on the celebration’s theme “Transcending Challenges, Optimizing Progress,” the activity primarily serves as a venue for the collaboration of key players of various industries based in the province and in Region 12, South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes said
She said it would help strengthen the province’s efforts in developing the area into a major agri-industrial hub in the country and also complement the neighboring provinces in terms of promoting their own products and innovations.
Provincial Agriculture Officer Reynaldo Legaste, chair of the agri-trade fair committee, said the activity’s main attractions are the agri-trade fair, Bahay Kubo competition and the oil palm and rubber congress.
“For the past years, the affair was exclusively done for local farmers but the committee decided to open it to other provinces,” he said.
Among the products being displayed in the 40 stalls at the Protech Center were from Davao City, North Cotabato and Sarangani province.
Legaste said the Bahay Kubo and product display competition is being participated in by Koronadal and the 10 towns of the province.
Each participating local government unit was tasked to prepare their own Bahay Kubo and three major products for display.
Meantime, the two-day oil palm and rubber congress focused on the potentials and new technological advantages about the two products.
The congress was aimed at informing the farmers and other interested residents about the program.
The other side events for the trade expo are the quest for South Cotabato’s singing sensation (kiddie and open category), jobs fair and mobile passporting service, product presentations, carnival rides and entertainment, regional oratorical and storytelling contest and the nightly live band entertainment.(Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)