18th National Mango Festival to kick off from May 31-June 2
By Monsi A. Serrano
Unknown to many, the Philippine mango is one of the favorite fruits in the world not because of its sweetness but also the peculiar tropical taste that other fruits do not have.
While there are many varieties of mangoes produced in the Philippines, the ‘Carabao’ mango dubbed as Philippine mango was listed as the sweetest in the world by the 1995 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records and its name is derived from the carabao, an endemic Filipino water buffalo use in the field. In fact, Philippine mango listed as one of the Philippines’ ‘Premium 7’ which includes banana, cacao, coffee, coconut, pineapple and tuna.
On May 31 till June 2, the Aani Mango Industry Association (AMIA), in Partnership with ETON CENTRIS Properties and in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, United Luzon Mango Stakeholders Association, Visayas Mango Industry Association & United Mindanao Mango Association will hold its 18th NATIONAL MANGO FESTIVAL at the ETON Centris Mall, Quezon Ave., Corner EDSA Quezon City.
This year’s theme is “FACING THE CURRENT CHALLENGES OF THE MANGO INDUSTRY”.
For several years, the Philippine mango has brought our country to the world map, and this 18th Mango Festival aims to gather mango producers, farmers and growers from all over the Philippines and be able to tackle the different issues and problems encountered by the farmers and be able to come up with a sound and long term solution from the expert on producing good quality mangoes and increase their production and profitability, intensify market linkages, develop new products or processed products, connect armers to the institutions and organizations that will help them analyze the problems and encourage the key players in the continued supply of fresh mangoes.
The 3 day festival will also showcase different Carabao Mango Varieties as well as other imported varieties from different regions & provinces of the Philippines.
There will also be Mango Training and Seminars, cooking demo, Stakeholders Forum, and also there will be eat all you can mango corner, selling areas for mango and other process product from flesh, seeds peels and other new developed by-product. There will be also display of agricultural materials or input chemicals, equipment and services. And the best part of the event is sampling, food tasting, and product testings and family games!
Event Chairman, Anselmo Damaso Ramil Rubia calls on the Filipino people across the globe to support the Filipino farmers by patronizing our own produce not just the mangoes but also other crops that were painstakingly taken care of by our local farmers.