The “Ber” months have arrived! Here are some crops that you can find in abundance this September.
Bayabas (Psidium guajava)
Bayabas, generally known as guava, is among the many trees that is widely distributed throughout the Philippines.
Its round fruits covered in pale green or yellow skin have edible flesh with more Vitamin C than an orange.
The guava fruit is frequently consumed raw or sprinkled with salt. It is also processed into jam, jelly, wine, powder, ice cream, and skincare products like soap and lotion. It is also utilized as a souring agent for sinigang.
Other parts of the bayabas tree offer a wide range of uses as well. Aside from herbal tea, its leaves are useful for bathing, afterbirth cleansing, as well as in treating wounds, dizziness, swollen gums, and itchy skin.
The Department of Health (DOH) approved bayabas as one of the “10 scientifically validated medicinal plants” that is locally accessible for individuals who opt for natural products for food and medicine.
Dragon fruit (Pitaya or Pitahaya)
Dragon fruit, which is characterized by its striking appearance, is one of the Cactaceae family's most highly distributed members and can be found on almost every continent.
Due to its rising popularity, it has been dubbed the country's new money crop. The fruit features soft, green spikes, skin that is either red, magenta, or yellow, and flesh that is white, purple, or red, depending on the variety.
More than its unique looks, dragon fruit is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and minerals. Despite being available all year, dragon fruits are best savored during their peak season, which occurs from August to September.
Dragon fruits are consumed by scraping out the flesh, slicing it, or incorporating it into food items such as ice cream, wine, and juice. Tea is typically made from its blossoms as well.
Saba banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana)
Bananas, the Philippines’ most important fruit crop, are present and easily obtainable in local markets throughout the year.
Among the three major banana varieties produced in the country is saba, a cooking-type of banana that makes up 29% of the country’s total banana production. Saba bananas are usually turned into food products such as banana chips both for domestic and foreign markets.
This is the type of banana also used in classic Filipino merienda or snacks like maruya (banana fritters), banana cue, and turon.
Sugar apple (Annona squamosa)
Atis, a local term for sugar apple or custard apple, is widely available from August to October. This round-shaped fruit has green knobbly skin and a white juicy pulp that has a sweet flavor similar to that of custard. Hence the name.
With the declining supply and market demand for this fruit, it can be challenging to find them in some areas. This exotic fruit is produced and sold in abundance in Lobo, Batangas—the Philippines’ atis capital.