BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, January 21(PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) in Region 2 is reviving the soft broom-making industry in the province.

Ellerie Ramel, DTI information officer, said the move aims to provide soft broom makers with adequate supply of raw materials such as tiger grass and rattan.
Last year, Ramel said they have conducted a training on soft broom-making in Sta. Fe town to encourage the planting of tiger grass in various villages.

“There are already residents who are now planting tiger grass in their community and this will eventually help the resumption of the soft broom making industry,” she said.

Ramel added that they are also teaching the broom making industry players on the proper crafting of their product to attain quality standards such as its proper size, trademarking and bundling among others.

In the previous years, soft broom making has been one of the lucrative source of livelihood among upland villagers in Sta. Fe, Aritao and Kayapa towns.

The indiscriminate cutting of the raw materials however discouraged many producers and left the trade, others shifted to purchasing raw materials outside the province which further increased the price of the product.