DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, June 22 (PIA) -- The Southern Negros Agri-fisheries Multipurpose Cooperative (SONAMCO) joined in the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) recent trade fair and exhibit which offered agricultural commodities at affordable prices to consumers in the city. 

The cooperative aims to serve the people by selling fresh and healthy products at an affordable cost.

The 285 member-cooperative supplies a large portion of the market in Dumaguete City. 

SONAMCO has now expanded its market to Metro Manila.

Lowella Am-is, chairman of the board of SONAMCO, said they sell boneless bangus and shrimps by bulk. 

SONAMCO developed 46 hectares for aquaculture and is the major enterprise of the cooperative. 

Am-is said it was an opportunity for the consumers to avail of affordable commodities, as the cost of agricultural commodities has spiked since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Am-is said the proof that people were looking for affordable products is the fact that all products were sold out during the two-day trade fair. 

Most retail fish vendors buy from them and sell at a higher price.

This is the reason why the KADIWA trade fair gives the consumers the best price for agricultural commodities, Am-is said.

Presco Nuay, a member of the Paunay Farmers’ Association, thanked DA for giving them a chance to sell their products at the KADIWA trade fair.

“I’m glad enough that all my products were sold. The KADIWA was a convenient venue to sell my products and to offer farmgate price to the consumers,” Nuay said.

The DA through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division has pipelined a series of KADIWA trade fairs and exhibits to soften the impact of the increase in prices of agricultural commodities. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)