Proponent/Claimant

Rose Anna L. Refuerzo

Abstract

The passage of RA 100681, also known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, in the Philippines heightened the country's commitment to organic agriculture. Increased consumption of organic products has been observed in both the international and domestic markets; hence, it is critical to measure consumer knowledge in the Eastern Visayas Region. The descriptive survey approach was used in this study, which included a questionnaire and an interview guide tool. The study's respondents were chosen at random from several cities and municipalities in Eastern Visayas, and the data were evaluated using frequency, percentage, and mean. The survey discovered that while the majority of organic product users in the region were in the adult to senior age bracket, the younger age bracket gradually increased its consumption of organic products as a result of their growing understanding of the benefits of organic products. This situation occurred as a result of the respondents' increased educational backgrounds, as evidenced by a rising number of educated customers who had had higher education learning experiences. Additionally, there was an increase in female involvement, implying that women's participation in food consciousness and consumption was becoming more active. It was noted that the majority of respondents continued to live on a marginal income of less than ten thousand pesos per month on average. This encourages consumers to purchase organic products that are within their budget, such as vegetables, fruits, and fish. These things were purchased at public wet markets in their neighborhood. However, the majority of them were unaware of a market that sold only organically grown and gathered products. Organic products were already well-known to a growing number of consumers. However, a sizable proportion of consumers were unaware and unconcerned about what an organic product was and its standardizing requirements. Organic products were equated in the consumer respondents' minds with naturally cultivated products that were abundant in their surroundings. It was discovered that the majority of them consumed naturally collected foods and believed they were consuming 100% organic products. Although consumers stated that they were unsure whether the products they purchased were truly organic due to the absence of certification labels or scientific packaging evidence. This indicates that there was a need to increase awareness of the organic product certification standards. Disseminations of this nature could be accomplished by major government programs. Consumers indicated that they would pay a premium for these products if they were certified organic by reputable authorities. Consumers stated unequivocally that they would increase their intake of organic products if there was strong evidence of food safety and if organic products contributed to environmental conservation. Additionally, they assumed that "green" labeled products were synonymous with organic products. This means that further publications on organic products should be made available in order to enhance organic product consumption. The presence of an organic certifying body(ies) in the region has the potential to increase awareness and consumption among Eastern Visayas population.

Name of Research Journal

Society of Interterdisciplinary Business Research

Volume and Issue No.

Volume 5, Issue 2, ISSN: 2223-5078

Date/Year of Publication

June 2-3 2016

Citation

Refuerzo, R. A. L., Blanco, S. L., & Sevilla, M. G. Consumer Awareness on Organic Agriculture in the Philippines: The Status in Eastern Visayas Region.