Demand for Rafia products on the rise

CEBU, Philippines - Noting the increasing demand for Rafia products, a local trader aims to boost his production and targets potential export markets.

Louie Abisado of P1 Handicrafts of Inabanga, Bohol said that he constantly joins trade fairs as for him it is a good venue to expand his market and develop a niche for his Rafia products.

Abisado said that since they started three years ago, they have noted that more and more people are now interested in their products.

However, the increasing demand has also encouraged more entrepreneurs to go into the same business, thus the growing competition that has prompted them to lower their prices to stay afloat.

Nevertheless, Abisado said the competition is not really bad news since most of the Rafia weavers are from Bohol and increase in demand could help a lot of people in terms of employment and means of livelihood for the residents. He also sees it as a booster for Bohol as a tourist destination.

Abisado, who was the lone participant from Bohol who joined in the recent Sinulog fair, said that the problem they are facing right now is on the recuperation from the previously felt global economic crisis since a large portion of their delivery goes to other countries for export.

Aside from producing table mats, table runners, bags and other Rafia made products that are being sold in Cebu and Manila, Abisado said that a bulk of their orders come from Spain, Europe and Japan.

However, with the onset of the crisis, the orders from foreign markets started to trickle down, which has affected the income of their weavers who solely depended on this livelihood.

Despite that, Abisado said that they are optimistic for 2010 an in fact has already seen a pick up by 2009.

So far, Abisado said that they had a large order of 400 rolls of Rafia table runners which costs P700 each. He said that this may cost higher than ordinary table runners but is assured of its quality and unique design.

Abisado explained that this would also compensate the long production of the products which costs them four months since it goes through a long process. From the tree, it needs to be shredded in to pieces, then dried up, then untangled, then weaved.

He said that they are hopeful that their products would more be supported by the local market like how it is supported by their clients in other countries. —AJ de la Torre