SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA)—The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) La Union kicked off a festive “APIT (Harvest)” Mini-Trade Fair on Thursday at their provincial office grounds.
The event showcases the bounty produced by various micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and local farmers.
This mini-trade fair coincides with the 36th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
CARP focuses on redistributing land to qualified beneficiaries, empowering them to become independent farmers.
According to DAR La Union Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Christianne Suguitan, the “APIT” fair highlights the success stories of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and their organizations (ARBOs) by promoting their diverse products, from fresh crops to handicrafts and innovative processed foods.
Suguitan emphasizes the collaborative spirit behind the fair’s name.
“We are now harvesting the fruits of our hard labor together with our farmers and our national government agencies; that is why we call it ‘APIT’,” she said.
Suguitan credits the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for their crucial roles.
“Through the efforts of our partner agencies, our farmers and entrepreneurs came up with agri-based products such as bananas to become banana chips, rice into rice coffee, and corn to be transformed into chichacorn, since they have the will to process our raw products,” she explained.
Through the partnership, the livelihood component of the agrarian reform program provides livelihood skills training, shared service facilities, product development assistance, and marketing support through the exposure of CARP beneficiaries’ products at trade fairs.
A total of 10 micro and small enterprises and farmers from agrarian reform communities in the province will sell different kinds of products until June 28.
These are Ayaoan Multi-purpose Cooperative (Luna), Ortega Multi-purpose Cooperative (Balaoan), Sinapangan Sur Farmers Agricultural Multi-purpose Cooperative (Bacnotan), Kabulig Farmers Association ti Santol La Union, Inc. (Santol), Lacong Multi-purpose Cooperative (San Gabriel), Bagulin Multi-purpose Cooperative (Bagulin), Burgos Municipal Tribal Council Multi-purpose Cooperative (Burgos), San Juan West Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Aringay), Halog West Producers Cooperative (Tubao), and San Jose Multi-purpose Cooperative (Caba).
Ralyn Zambrona, representing the Kabulig Farmers Association ti Santol La Union, Inc., is proud to participate.
“It is an honor for us to bring the organization’s native products and show them to a larger market. We are encouraging the public to support us in promoting, patronizing, and buying our own local products,” Zambrona said.
DAR remains dedicated to helping ARBOs refine their products and achieve success.
The “APIT” Mini-Trade Fair serves as a testament to the progress these communities are making. (AMB/KJCR/PIA La Union)
