9th National Vegetable Congress in Negros Oriental

The province of Negros Oriental, being the heartland of Central Visayas, may yet again hog the national limelight. Starting August 3, 2011, the province will play host to the 9th National Vegetable Congress which is expected to be a convergence of an estimated 500 stakeholders in the vegetable industry from all over the country that will tackle wide-ranging issues and concerns from best practices in vegetable production, postharvest and marketing to relevant policies and development strategies involving government, individual and institutional vegetable growers, input and service suppliers such as seed companies, fertilizer manufacturers and the private enterprise sector.

The event will carry the theme “Quality and Safe Vegetables: Key to Sustainable Economic Growth” which attests to the renewed commitment of all stakeholders in taking a more proactive stance in enhancing productivity and promoting safe and quality production for the high value vegetables industry and lifting it up to a more globally competitive level in tune with the standards set by the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade – World Trade Organization (GATT-WTO). Therefore, more than just a convergence of products and ideas, the congress becomes a venue to lobby for new policies, reforms, and initiatives to guide all industry stakeholders in addressing the need to ensure food security and self-sufficiency amidst the threats caused by changing global climatic and trading conditions.

Opening activities and plenary sessions will be held at the Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City. The congress is jointly organized by the Philippine Vegetable Industry Development Board (PVIDP), the Cebu – Negros Oriental Integrated Vegetable Upland Development Council (CNORIVUDC), the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council and supported by the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental, City Government of Dumaguete and the Department of Agriculture through the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).

For more details and information, interested parties may contact the following: Mrs. Florida A. Ybanez, President of CNORIVUDC at telephone numbers 0915-8761178; Ms. Nenita Seno, DA 7 HVCDP Coordinator at (032) 268-9804, (032) 268-5187; and Ms. Emerita Calibat, Provincial HVCDP Coordinator of Negros Oriental at (035) 225-2856. RAFIS 7/DA-RFU7