SOME 17 tons of Mindanao fruits were sold in front of the Municipal Hall of Lingayen in Pangasinan on Saturday, September 7, kicking off the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) Fruits Festival.
Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil said the launching of the festival here was very successful as the fruits were immediately sold out.
“We hope we were able to satisfy the people’s desire for quality and affordable fruits from Mindanao,” he said in an interview Saturday.
Bataoil said Pangasinan is the second festival venue after Baguio City.
“We are glad that Minda Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who is a good friend, accommodated us to be the venue for the festival and so, it is now here,” he said.
Bataoil said some of the residents here bought the products wholesale with the intent to retail it in their respective barangays.
“Through this project, we were able to provide livelihood to our constituents,” he added.
The Mindanao fruits on sale comprised of 10 tons of mangosteen, 1.3 tons of lanzones, 4.5 tons of pomelo, two tons of durian, said Piñol in his Facebook post on Saturday.
He said some various processed fruit products from Davao City fruit’s company and fruit farmers’ groups were also sold during the festival.
“The Minda Fruit Festival moves to Dagupan City on Sunday and it will be back in Lingayen on September 14 and to Dagupan City again on September 15,” Piñol said.
The fruit festival aims to promote Mindanao fruits and to possibly open markets for the fruits produced by farmers in Mindanao while at the same time allowing consumers in Luzon and Visayas to have access to fresh and fairly-priced fruits, he added. (PNA)