Varieties of sweet mangoes displayed at the Department of Agriculture two-day fair in Quezon City.
MANILA -- Different varieties of mangoes from various parts of the country are displayed and sold at the Department of Agriculture (DA) central office in Quezon City from Thursday until Friday.
The most famous of these sweet and quality mangoes come from Guimaras, Nueva Ecija, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City.
Mango farmers from these localities who are now in Metro Manila say a lot about doing an exhibit that connects them to potential clients and customers who in one way or another support their livelihood.
Fullgreen Agro Corporation vice president Ricky Mabungat said this type of activity not only gives them the much-needed market exposure but also inspires them to make more of what they do as the products they sell come as representations of themselves and their corporations.
"Marami kaming nakukuha na benepisyo sa pagsali dito. Nakikilala ang produkto namin and napapakita rin namin sa mga bagong set ng mamimili na merong ganitong kaganda at de kalidad na mga prutas galing sa aming lugar (We gain many benefits from joining these events. Our products get introduced to new sets of buyers and at the same time we get to show them our good quality produce)," Mabungat told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Mabungat's corporation sells Sweet Catipon Mangoes native to Nueva Ecija. With 20 years in the agriculture business, his group now caters to a wide array of clients -- politicians to ordinary people.
They also encourage their customers to buy Sweet Catipon Mango seedlings which they sell for PHP3,500 each -- ready to bear fruit in five years. “Catipon” variety sells for PHP300 per kilo in local markets and up PHP600 a kilo in “high-end” groceries or supermarkets.
Apart from fresh mangoes, a number of mango by-products like wine, dark chocolates, and candies are sold at the DA lobby.
The agriculture department opened the two-day fair on Thursday through its 2018-launched TienDa, a farmer's market concept dedicated to supporting local farmers and home-grown products.
Tienda serves as a marketing initiative of DA with the objective of providing a direct trading center for farmers and fisherfolk and will eventually eliminate cartels, middlemen, and dicers.
Tienda was first launched on July 28 last year at BPI compound in Manila. (PNA)
