(Image courtesy of the Batac Tourism and Events Office)
LAOAG CITY – Forty-five partner merchants mostly from the city of Batac will showcase their best products during the annual celebration of the Farmer’s Festival slated for May 1 to 5.
Organized by the city government of Batac led by Mayor Albert Chua, the farmer’s bazaar is among the highlights of the weeklong celebration to encourage people to support local farmers.
He said the bazaar at the Imelda Cultural Center front activity area is open to all registered business establishments in the province with an existing business permit.
"Aside from that, we are opening five slots for an unregistered business establishment to experience pop-up events and encourage them to registration this upcoming year,” he added.
The City Agriculture Office, jointly with the City Tourism and Events Section, has already opened reservation for the 45 slots via Google form on a first come, first served basis.
Organizers said the 35 slots will be given to Batac merchants, five slots for sellers or businesses around Ilocos Norte, and five slots for unregistered business establishments in Batac.
Selected merchants, upon verification of submitted documents, will receive a call or text confirmation from the organizers.
The conduct of pop-up events in various parts of the province has been popularized post-pandemic as a way of helping small businesses recover and generate income.
The city government earlier allocated at least PHP1 million for each of the city’s 43 villages, and was used for concrete farm-to-market roads, the improvement of agricultural infrastructure and better facilities.
At this year’s festivity, Batac farmers will receive fertilizers, palay seeds and hybrid vegetable seeds to boost their productivity.
Other festival highlights include a showcase of high-quality produce through crops and fisheries competition, a poetry and dance showdown among farmers organizations, basket weaving, and a quiz bee for farmers, among others. (PNA)
