Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. is hosting an orientation and dialog on Fair Trade international marketing opportunities at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall today, from 9 a.m. to noon, organizers said in a press release.

Edgardo Uychiat, president of the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation, said they are inviting participants to the dialog.

The orientation will be conducted by Hagung Hendrawan, international liaison officer for Asia-Pacific of Fairtrade Labelling Organization, who is in Negros to visit Alter Trade-assisted communities that are already producing sugar for fair trade markets, the press release said.

Uychiat said the fair trade market is socially oriented and is a movement of ethical consumers that demand products that are produced in a socially fair manner, and looking at, among other things, factors such as labor, environment and good governance.

He added that fair trade covers 155 countries and coverage is growing.

“It could be our means of saving the small farmers from the effects of WTO’s (World Trade Organization) reduced tariff on sugar by 2015,” Uychiat said.

Those interested may inquire from Ted Lopez of Alter Trade Foundation at 0922-8608847; Rommel Ledesma of NISARD at 034-4332174; or Chin-chin Uy at 0917-3002446 or Boni Sanchez at 0929-8771344 of Organik na Negros! Producers and Retailers Association, the press release said.*

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