Saturday, September 22, 2007 Sweet, affordable fruits at Davao fruit festival
DABAWENYOS will have more access to sweet and affordable fruits with the opening of the Davao fruit festival on Thursday.
The Fruit Development Cooperative of Davao (FDCD) said it staged the month-long fruit festival, which will run until October 27, to provide fruit farmers a venue to sell their produce.
"Consumers on the other hand will have access to quality and affordable Davao fruits such as durian, lanzones, mangosteen, rambutan, pummelo, dragon fruit, and more," FDCD chair Vicente Ferrazini said.
The fruit festival is ongoing at Prime Square along F. Torres Street.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director Roger Chio said that his office through the High Value Commercial Crops program is working towards enhancing fruit farmers' profitability.
"Farmers can maximize profit if we open up markets for them. If our farmers will have direct markets for their products, middlemen that shave off portions of their profit will be eliminated," Chio said.
He added that marketing strategies such as the fruit festival could help create demand for farmers' products at the same time provide consumers access to affordable and healthy food.
Councilor Condrado Baluran for his part said that he is proposing to the Davao City Council to move next year's Kadayawan from August to September in time for the peak season of Davao fruits.
Baluran, who is the chairman of the City Council's agriculture committee, said the move would further boost the city's agriculture and tourism industries. (Press release)
