Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday highlighted the growing role of micro, small and medium enterprises in raising the value of farm and fishery output, saying these business ventures are key to creating jobs and boosting incomes in a sector where many remain among the country’s poorest.

“Raw produce is only the beginning. The real work starts when MSMEs step in, extending shelf life, expanding market reach, and increasing value,” Tiu Laurel said at the National Food Fair organized by the Department of Trade and Industry.

He pointed to the participation of more than 320 enterprises from across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as evidence of how local harvests can be transformed into competitive offerings. “That is not just a number. It is 320 bright ideas turning local harvests into national pride,” he said.

For the government, he said, strengthening MSMEs forms part of a wider effort directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to shift agriculture away from subsistence toward value-added production. By connecting farmers and fisherfolk to enterprises that extend shelf life and improve market access, more income can be retained within rural communities, he added. ### (Photos by Alan Jay Jacalan, AFID)