First time participants in the National Trade Fair (NTF) 2009, semi-processed materials suppliers made waves and proved to be among the sought after products of exporters and large purchasers during the four-day event at the SMX Convention Center last March 12-15.

NTF generated 62 million pesos in sales from over 200 exhibitors coming from the regions of the country. Region 12, Soccsksargen emerged as the top seller with a total of 12 million pesos in sales.

The Semi-Processed Materials Expo, a fair within NTF, brought together 44 semi-processed materials producers with the aim of directly linking local manufacturers and exporters to producers, processors, and consolidators of these materials. Ramon Magsaysay Bamboocraft Association (RAMAGBA) of Zamboanga del Sur and Mindanao Coco Fiber of General Santos City occupied the second and third place in the top sellers list respectively.

RAMAGBA, an association composed of bamboo products suppliers from the barangays of Ramon Magasaysay, supplies bamboo twigs, slots, and strips commonly used by exporters for the production of furniture and home furnishings. The association was able to get mostly local clients and one foreign buyer from Denmark looking for bamboo raw materials for hotel.

“We used to get our buyers mainly from our province, which is why meeting new buyers here in NTF will really be of great help to the people who are counting on the industry,” says Mr. Anerson Ondo, One Town One Product (OTOP) Coordinator of the municipality of Ramon Magsaysay in Zamboanga del Sur.

Mindanao Coco Fiber, a local manufacturer, on the other hand, was able to deal with mostly foreign buyers particularly from China and Korea looking for coco husks and coco fibers.  The volume of the demand for their products, however, was quite large which is why they plan to coordinate and work with other coco fiber suppliers from Saranggani province in order to meet the demand. “Had it not been for this trade fair we will not be able to meet these buyers,” accounts Mr. Claudio Melecio, Operations Manager of Mindanao Coco Fiber.

Both agreed that the Semi-Processed Materials Expo, a new component of the NTF, should become a permanent part of the annual trade show. “This should definitely be repeated,” Mr. Ondo says of the Expo, “We had great exposure. It was worth the trip from Zamboanga.”