NTF sales P5.5M
Visayan Daily Star
BY CARLA P. GOMEZ
September 27, 2019
MAKATI CITY – The sales at the 34th Negros Trade Fair at the Glorietta Activity Center here hit P3.986 million on its first full day Wednesday, which is 43 percent lower than last year.
However, at the soft opening of the 34th NTF Tuesday night sales were at P1,603,757.75 or 10 percent higher than last year, Michael Claparols, 34th NTF chairman, said.
This brings NTF’s total sales for Tuesday and Wednesday to P5.58 million, with the fair set to end on Sunday. The sales figures for yesterday were not available as of press time.
Christina Gaston, Association of Negros Producers chairperson, said “We anticipated this drop in sales due to the reduced space available for the NTF at Glorietta which is undergoing renovation. There are less booths and a much smaller dining area, unfortunately, so we cannot accommodate as many diners as in the previous years.”
She said “Next year, on our 35th year, we will be back in a very special way and we expect that the sales will show this.”
Claparols said that because of the reduced space for the NTF from 82 exhibitors last year, they are down to 64. “We have more or less a reduction of about 30 to 35 percent in booth space,” he said.
He also said the food section that is a big earner at the annual trade fair is also much smaller because of lack of space. From 8 cooked food vendors last year, they are down to two this year, Claparols said.
Of the P3.986 million sales Wednesday the food sector was leading with a total of P1.6M, followed by fashion and garments – P681,540, gifts, decors and housewares, furniture – P434,605 and natural and organic products – P335,290.
Among the booths of the Local Government Units, Cadiz City had the highest sales at P68,300, and the provincial government’s Abanse Negrense had P42,585.
Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Elections, who is an annual visitor to the NTF, said yesterday “Once again, our Negrense entrepreneurs and artists have come together with beautiful and affordable products that we are proud of. These businesses help many women workers and their families. I hope that the entrepreneurs continue these businesses to give jobs. Negros is indeed a destination for food and crafts.”*
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