DAGUPAN CITY, May 27 (PNA) — The certified Dagupan milkfish, either blast frozen, deboned marinated, canned and bottled, was the top sensation in the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) 2015 at SMX Convention Center at Mall of Asia in Pasay City from May 21 to 24.
This was reported by Mayor Belen Fernandez who led the delegation of small entrepreneurs who joined the IFEX to showcase not only the Dagupan milkfish but also other traditional cottage industry products produced by local homemakers such as anchovy pastes, “espada” in dry form, and home-made rice cake called “suman.”
She said on Monday that she received a call that much of the products displayed in booths reserved for cottage industries from Dagupan were sold out as buyers, many of them foreign visitors, queued to buy and have a taste of Dagupan products, particularly milkfish.
“It is very interesting to note that people really had only one word to say when they were buying our Dagupan Bangus and that word is “delicious!,” said Fernandez.
Fernandez joined Tourism Development Coordinator and Investments and Promotion Officer Sharon M. Maramba, who is also the Bangus Industry Development Program coordinator, in answering queries of buyers last May 23.
Other regional products from various parts of the Philippines were also showcased in the IFEX.
Aside from bangus, the other surprised best seller was the “suman pinipig” of Mamita’s of Barangay Mangin where two Australian visitors, Joseph and Linda Elvis, enjoyed eating what they called ‘sticky rice’ and bought some for their snacks at home.
These products are all Dagupan certified as shown by tags pinned on them. Most of the producers are housewives of small fisherfolk who first went into trainings and seminars before they were accredited by the city government.
The other producers are Jabez Peanut Bites, Ciudad Bangusan, Lisa Seafood Products, Mamita’s Kakanin ATBP., Catalina Food Processor, Felly’s Fish Products, Nana Cion Fish Products, LBV Processed Fish, Noreen Fish Products and Pugaro Fish Products.
“Joining IFEX was one of our marketing strategies in promoting our Dagupan bangus, including a number of our local products in the city like the suman malagkit, monamon, banana chips, dried fish like the espada or pingka of Barangay Pugaro,” said Fernandez, a top businesswoman of Pangasinan before she threw her hat into the political ring in Dagupan. (PNA)