Fair trade can be the safety net for small farmers when the zero tariff on sugar and other agricultural products is implemented in 2015, Edwin Lopez, head of the task force fair trade in Negros Occidental, said yesterday.

Lopez, who is also the executive director of Alter Trade Foundation Inc., said at its NFT assembly at the Governor’s Hall that fair trade markets buy products at better prices and reward farmers with fair trade premiums which only its members can benefit from.

He said the fair trade relationship is durable so if it will be started it for a wider group of small farmers in Negros, they can think of 10 to 20 years for a good opportunity for them as it gives importance especially to farmers who have five or less hectares of land.

Bacolod PESO records
6,119 jobseekers hired

The Public Employment Service Office in Bacolod City has recorded 6,119 workers hired and placed through special recruitment activities in September and October, PESO monitoring report showed yesterday.

Moises de la Cruz, PESO manager, said 15 recruitment agencies conducted their SRA with them and have placed 679 workers abroad while the 5,440 were hired for local jobs through Sutherland, Royal Dragon, and government job orders.

PESO has become an avenue for employers to look for qualified applicants while job seekers are provided with various choices for their career, he said.

76 exhibitors to join
organic fest today

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist said it has recorded 76 exhibitors that confirmed their participation as of yesterday in the 7th Negros Organic Farmers Festival tomorrow to Saturday, Josephine Fernandez, exhibit committee chair, said yesterday.

Exhibitors joining the festival are certified organic producers and sells products without chemicals and preservatives.

She said they want to make sure that all participants adhere to the campaign and program of the province which is to go organic and is banning the use of genetically modified organisms in agricultural products.

back to top