KORONADAL CITY, Philippines - Wealthy Arab traders were fascinated with the market potentials of Philippine mangoes during a recent Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo (MENOPE) in Dubai, an agriculture official said Wednesday.
Amalia Jayag Datukan, director for Region 12 of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said investors were attracted to mangoes from a farm in Tulunan, North Cotabato displayed at the Dubai fair three weeks ago as part of a Philippine agricultural showcase.
The farm from where the mangoes were harvested is owned by peasant-entrepreneur Rickson Olimpus.
“Our participation in that trade fair in Dubai opened new trading avenues for our mango farmers in Region 12 and neighboring areas,” Datukan said.
The mangoes from Tulunan were transported from Mindanao to the site of the MENOPE through the efforts of DA-12’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division.
The MENOPE is a regular economy-driven activity in the Middle East involving Arab business communities and government agencies.
The governor of North Cotabato, the reelectionist Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, said she was elated learning that farm products from her province were displayed at the Dubai fair.
Olimpus was earlier quoted in media reports as saying he is thankful to DA-12 and to the North Cotabato provincial government for helping improve the productivity of farmers in the province.
North Cotabato is known all throughout Mindanao as the “fruit basket” of Region 12, popular for exotic fruits, including Durian, now sold cheaply in markets due to big harvest surplus yearly.
Datukan said enabling local farmers to join in trade fairs will encourage them to become innovative and to aim high for quality harvests which is achievable through modern farming techniques.