Processed food sunrise industry of Negros Occ .

The processed food industry, a viable source of income and employment for the province, is highly regarded as a sunrise industry, said Lea T. Gonzales, Caretaker, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Negros Occidental Provincial Office.  

The growth of the sector shows leaps and bounds through some indicators on areas of employment, investment and sales generation.

Last year, data revealed new employment generated reached 332 a 16.49% increase from the target of 285. Investment generated skyrocketed to P86.33million a 1,538.14% growth from the target of P5.27million.   Domestic sales also increased dramatically to P86.85million, 304.89% up from the target of P21.45million while export generated sales of $4.66million a 44% increase from the target of $3.236 million.   

Gonzales said that with an estimated number of over 200 establishments, the industry can be categorized into flour-based food processing firms such as bakeries, pastry shops, and delicatessens; and resource-based firms or those processing fruits, vegetables, fish and meat.

Products of these firms are piaya , barquillos , noodles, assorted pastries, variety of cakes and pies, kaong , nata de coco, jams, pickled vegetables, dried fish, squid flakes, and meat products, among others.

These are sold in the province as well as the neighboring provinces and cities like Iloilo , Cebu , Cagayan de Oro and Manila and are being exported in the United States and Japan .

Monitored by DTI is a core group of 31 firms, 15 of which are into flour-based food products while 16 are into resource-based products.

As to size of the home-based industry, micro enterprises comprise 65%, 20% are small, 12% are medium and 3% are large enterprises. Those in the medium and large enterprises are exporters of muscovado sugar and aqua-marine products like prawn, crab meat, and canned bangus .

The development of the processed food industry as the priority sector and one of the identified One Town One Product (OTOP) projects of the province is in line with the 10 point agenda of President Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo towards promoting entrepreneurship and job creation.

“In order to sustain the industry, the local DTI, together with the convergence of assistance from the Local Government Units ( LGUs ) and other national agencies, has been assisting the sector to fully develop its potential,” stressed Gonzales.  

Despite the meager resources, the industry has been provided with a lot of assistance like business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, study missions, participation to trade fairs, appropriate technologies and marketing and financial assistance.

Other industry sectors assisted by DTI are Giftsware and Holiday Decor, Garments, Furniture and Furnishings, Aqua-marine and Metalworking. (Ruby M. Melliza/DTI-6)