CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Camiguin Gov. Ma. Luisa Romualdo has issued an executive order mandating that harvested Lanzones fruits be named "Camiguin Lanzones" as the official brand to signify that the produce comes from the island.
Provincial Tourism Officer Naome Dael on Tuesday said Romualdo issued the order early this month, replacing the original "Longkong" label, which is also the name of the lanzones variety that grows on the island.
The local government has been touting locally-grown lanzones as the sweetest of its kind in the country.
Provincial Agriculturist Renero Torion explained that the Camiguin-grown lanzones tastes sweeter due to the island’s volcanic soil. About 2,000 hectares of land -- mostly on the island’s elevated areas around its 13 volcanoes -- are planted with lanzones.
Dael said the province's harvest season for lanzones usually peaks in November. She said that all the lanzones boxes for shipment out of the island have already been marked with the Camiguin brand.
The new branding, she said, would help Camiguin maximize the market potential of its lanzones.
Mambajao Mayor Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said the re-branding aims to ensure that "our lanzones identify as different among other lanzones in the country to make it stand out among other varieties."
Romualdo said a new variety introduced recently is a cross-bred variety called "Camlong," which was derived from Camiguin and the original native variety Longkong.
On August 31, the Provincial Board approved an ordinance that seeks to develop, protect and promote the province's lanzones production. (PNA)
