Extending a helping hand to the badly-hit agricultural sector bounce back from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, SM City Iloilo, the Department of Agriculture, Resto PH, and the Iloilo City Government brings Farmers’ Produce at SM.
This partnership of diverse groups come together to make local products available at reasonable prizes. The initiative is also a way for the produce to reach a wider market in the mall, where most people go to buy their essentials.
Department of Agriculture and RestoPH spearheaded and managed the invitation of participating farmers and restauranteurs. Restauranteurs are existing and operational SM tenants so there is a sort of linking the sectors in terms of business, allowing some sort of synergy to come up with better results.
Department of Agriculture Led by Secretary William D. Dar and ASec. Kristine Y. Evangelista brings “KADIWA ni Ani at Kita” which is the direct marketing program of Department of Agriculture (DA) which aims to reach out and support farmer-producers and other community workers while providing access to fresh and affordable food to consumers.
RestoPH, on the other hand, led by its president Eric Teng, is a group of more than 180 restaurant owners in the Philippines working together to hurdle the challenges that face each and every restauranteur to ensure best practices are shared across all members to all work together in uplifting and restarting the F&B business. The group was formed in May 2020 during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has emphasized that “as members of the community, it is imperative that we do our own little share that the New Normal will be very safe for all of us. Let us patronize the products of our farmers.”
Farmers Produce in SM will assist in rebooting livelihood support on farmers and fisher folks and accelerate momentum of Filipino restauranteurs as they restart their businesses.
The event has officially opened last September 11 until the 13th. Another run will be September 18-20 at SM Southpoint of SM City Iloilo.
