The province of Negros Occidental will join the 37th International Food and Beverage Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan on March 6 to 9, as the first and only local government unit to participate in the exhibit, Grace Horii, a consultant of the Office of the Governor, said yesterday

Horii said Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr., who has a strong vision of making the province as the organic capital of Asia, considers this event as a great opportunity to showcase the organic products of Negros.

The province will be represented by Robert Gasparillo, guarantee officer of Negros Island Organic Certification Services; Anna Marie Lucasan, provincial head for public affairs, and Marilyn Manuel, provincial consultant, she also said.

Gasparillo said they will bring organic products made and manufactured by local organic producers in Negros Occidental like organic rice, muscovado sugar, coffee, free-range chickens and eggs, organic crystal sugar, other food-based and natural health and wellness products.

“The exhibit will really promote the image of Negros Island as the organic food bowl in Asia and will be an avenue of meeting potential traders and buyers that hopefully we can link with our Negros producers,” Gasparillo said.

The province hopes to tie up local producers with potential buyers in Japan, particularly for organic coffee, muscovado sugar, and free-range chickens and eggs, he also said.

Foodex Japan 2012 is the only trade show in the Asia Pacific Region that attracts 85,000 buyers from over 60 countries, Horii also said.

The group will leave the country Sunday and it hopes to sell and promote the organic potentials of the Negros Occidental, Gasparillo added. *LTG

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