San Fernando, Pampanga—Despite the coronavirus scare, food producers in Central Luzon are confident the national food expo slated on March 12 to 15 at SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City will still push through.
The 43 participants from the region are part of the total 280 food enterprises, mostly micro, small and medium enterprises, who are joining the four-day food national exposition, said Warren Serrano, information officer of the Department of Trade and Industry in Central Luzon.
Organizers are confident that despite the COVID-19 threat, local and foreign buyers will still attend the annual trade food fair.
Serrano said that last year, participants from Central Luzon earned a total of P5.5 million from local and foreign buyers.
Dubbed as National Food Fair 2020, the annual expo will be held at the levels 1, 3, and 5 of the mall sponsored by the Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Participants from the region include 16 businesses from Bulacan, 10 from Pampanga, seven from Nueva Ecija, four from Tarlac, and three each from Bataan, and Zambales, he said.
Bulacan businesses will feature their famous products like longganisang Calumpit, while Pampanga will showcase its homemade nuts, chocolate brownies, crab paste.
Nueva Ecija will bring its famous Kesong Puti, dairy products, fruit jellies, and herbal products, while Tarlac will display their Cala single drink, garlic paste, and peanut-based products.
Bataan will sell its fish products like sautéed shrimp paste, dried fish, crab paste, Arcaro cookies, and mushroom chips, and Zambales will feature mango-based products, cashew nuts, vinegar wine, and sesame candies.
Also known as the Philippines Cuisine and Ingredients Show, the expo will also feature processed food, beverages, halal products, cooking ingredients, health wellness products.
Serrano added that onsite cooking demonstrations by famous chefs of the region will be also featured.