Survey conducted among students of the College of Economics and Management (CEM), UPLB on 7 May 2019
LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – The team of the Market Study Component of the project Upgrading the Calamansi Value Chain towards Improving the Calamansi Industry of Oriental Mindoro conducted an initial consumer preference survey on the calamansi concentrate, a product of Oriental Mindoro, in the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) campus, in a company canteen in Carmelray Industrial Park, and in a public resort in Los Baños, Laguna on 7-12 May 2019.
The survey gathered information about the consumer preference and acceptability of the calamansi concentrate. The calamansi concentrate used in the survey was provided by three, namely, the Matulatula Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (MARCCO), the Victoria Kalamansi Farmers Federation (VKFF), and the Pakyas Rural Improvement Club (PARIC). The survey also aimed at identifying the product which would most likely be preferred by the consumers, and the characteristics of the product they seek.
The survey meant to elicit the buying behavior of the consumers, the usage, and the reason(s) for consuming the calamansi concentrate. The respondents were asked to taste all the products and to rate how well the products satisfied the following attributes: sweetness, bitterness, dilution, color, aroma, price, pulp bits, packaging, and label. The willingness to pay and buying price of the respondents were also asked in the survey.
The Market Study component is led by Dr. Julieta A. Delos Reyes, Associate Professor of the UPLB College of Economics and Management (UPLB-CEM) and Market Specialist of the project and Dr. Matilde V. Maunahan, University Researcher II of the UPLB Postharvest Horticulture and Training Research Center (UPLB-PHTRC) and Study Leader. (Adelaine C. Arganda)
Survey conducted in Likas Resort, Los Baños, Laguna on 12 May 2019 (left) and in Psi Technology, Inc. canteen at Carmelray Industrial Park, Canlubang, Laguna on 10 May 2019 (right)