Pinoys urged to buy local fruits for New Year

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos have been urged to patronize local fruits as part of the annual tradition of preparing round fruits during the New Year.

Round fruits are believed to bring good luck and prosperity when included in preparations for the New Year.

The Department of Agriculture issued the call after noting that most Filipinos prefer to buy imported fruits such as apples, oranges and grapes for the New Year revelry.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said buying local fruits would increase farmers’ incomes and support the development and commercialization of the local fruit industry.

“Promoting our own homegrown fruits will boost not only the country’s fruit industry, but also provide farmers and their families more income,” Dar said.

“These are available year-round and can be bought in every market. Let us promote and take pride in them, thus giving our tradition a deeper meaning by nurturing our agricultural sector,” he added.

For instance, instead of imported oranges, consumers can buy perante, satsuma or Vizcaya ponkan, which are grown in Nueva Vizcaya.

There are also local grapes from La Union, as well as citrus fruits from Central Luzon and Bukidnon.

Other popular Pinoy fruits include aratiles, atis, avocado, bignay, chico, coconut, dalandan, duhat, guava, lanzones, mabolo, mangosteen, melon, papaya, pomelo, rambutan, santol, sineguelas, tiesa and watermelon.
For non-traditional consumers, there are round varieties of jackfruit, pineapple, mango, macopa, durian, balimbing or star fruit and dragon fruit that can be bought from farmers.