The provincial government of Guimaras, together with the local association of dragon fruit growers, officially opened the 4th Dragon Fruit Festival on Thursday.
The annual festival aims to support dragon fruit farmers by helping them market their products while also promoting tourism. It also serves as a strategic response to the mango off-season by offering dragon fruit as a high-value alternative to attract visitors.
According to Provincial Economic and Development Officer and concurrent Tourism Officer Francis Gentoral, the festival has drawn nearly 15,000 tourists over the past three years, generating around PHP22 million in tourism receipts.
“We continue doing this festival as a means to provide additional income for dragon fruit farmers. We also look into the value-adding of dragon fruit and not just for health benefits, but it can also be utilized for arts,” Gentoral said during a media conference.
This year, organizers are targeting at least a 25 percent increase in tourist arrivals, tourism receipts, and revenues for local entrepreneurs. With the theme “Where Flavor Meets Arts,” the festival highlights the fruit’s versatility beyond health benefits, Governor Ma. Lucille Nava said.
“We would like to inculcate arts and to encourage our youths to become aware of the other uses of our naturally grown products in Guimaras. And to the creative minds of Guimarasnons, we would like their innovative spirit to use these basic materials to encourage their artistic abilities,” Nava added.
The four-day festival kicked off with a weekend market at the provincial capitol, where hundreds of kilos of dragon fruits are available. Other activities include a pick-and-pay experience at NJST and Paquito Farms, with dragon fruits priced at PHP150 per kilo and an entrance fee of PHP50 for a three-hour visit.
According to the Provincial Office for Agricultural Services, Guimaras currently has 22.44 hectares dedicated to dragon fruit cultivation, with 21,077 posts producing an annual yield of about 8.875 tons.