The 12th National Vegetable Congress and Expo to be held December 4 to 6 in Bacolod City will gather about 500 delegates from around the country.
MBCCI Chairman Frank Carbon said yesterday that the congress on the theme “Strengthening the industry through high value crops development and organic farming” will focus on the alleviation of poverty through a high value crop development program and organic farming.
A tri-partite team of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Department of Agriculture and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist met Tuesday on the congress that is aimed at improving the farmers’ lives in the rural area by introducing alternative crops of higher value, he said.
He said the congress will educate members on organic farming and its added value to the market.
The congress will also encourage the private sector to develop and invest in a profitable vegetable industry, a serious and bigger market for the farmers produce for sustainability of their livelihood, he added.
The two-day congress will have lectures on organic farming, and support services from the Department of Agriculture and organic farming. Field trips to different venues will take places on the second day with lectures and on the technology of the seed industry.
The vegetable congress is the second in Negros, and the first was in Dumaguete City. The keynote speakers will be Secretary Proceso Alcala and Rep. Alfredo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), he said.*MNM
