#MINDANAO

Marang, durian, mangosteen, and avocados all fill the fruit stands of Davao and surrounding provinces. These fruits have made their way to northern Mindanao as well. The month of August brings the Kadayawan festival, an annual event that takes to the forefront of Davao City's cultural diversity and heralds the harvests of delectable fruit.

Fruits are such gifts from nature that give  healthy phytochemicals and micronutrients to our bodies. In this era of new diseases, fruits can boost our immunity. It’s a good time to start ramping up our tropical fruit production and encourage more fruit consumption.

Moreover, the type and volume of fruits reveal a region’s biodiversity and spur the development of the food culture of a particular place. They also are a group bonding activity as the sharing of large portions of fruit brings people together.

As online media has enabled access to knowledge about many exotic fruits, it has also enabled fruit enthusiasts to share their passion through new ways to serve fruit.  One of these are the fruit shakes which over the last two decades have become popular, driving interest in fruits.

I would therefore encourage all of you to partake of these fruits when they do make their way to a fruit stand near you. They are not only good for the body, but they will be good for the economy as they will help local farmers earn additional income.

That said, this may be a good time for government agencies, including those involved in promoting health and nutrition, to encourage more Pinoys to eat locally grown tropical fruits, and for other agencies to help promote low-cost, high-yield production of such fruits.

Another challenge is boosting this industry’s growth further by finding more markets for the fruits especially when harvest volumes are high. Perhaps the government, in association with fruit industry groups and farmer associations, can develop specific fruit commodity roadmaps. 

I’ve thought of other ways by which fruit consumption can be promoted especially in the big urban markets of Cebu and Metro Manila.

For one, our mall operators in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu can organize fruit fairs that showcase Mindanao’s fruits at good prices. Tables can be set for people to partake of fruits as families and groups so that they can appreciate the fruit that comes from the rural areas and the farms and farmers that cultivate these.  This can significantly develop markets for fruits and in turn, encourage more cultivation of exotic tropical fruits.

Another way is to encourage schools. In partnership with government agencies, schools in Metro Manila and Cebu can help educate their students on the value of consuming exotic locally grown fruits regularly. This cultivates a culture of fruit consumption and an appreciation for growing fruits by local farmers.

A third way is for shipping and airline companies to find ways to lower the shipping cost for our agricultural cooperatives or farmer associations. This also helps ensure that the fruits are handled properly, lessening the risk of spoilage.

These suggestions and other efforts can be achieved through high levels of public-private sector collaboration. I am sure linking all of these players in the fruit sector will yield more bountiful harvests, and promote health and abundance!