When Loreto, Dinagat Islands Mayor Doandre Bill A. Ladaga and his wife visited my farm two months ago and tasted the sweetness of the EVIARC Sweet Jackfruit, he was convinced that starting a Jackfruit production in his town would create a new tourist attraction – the Sweetest Jackfruit in the World.
Dinagat Islands, along with Siargao Islands, draw tourists every year coming from all over the world because of the beauty of the islands and the joy of riding the big waves.
With a Brix of 25.15, a measurement for sweetness, EVIARC Sweet, also known as Abuyog Sweet, which was developed by the Dept. of Agriculture Eastern Visayas Agriculture Research Center in Abuyog, Leyte with the help of scientists from the Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte, is considered a record holder in sweetness.
Mayor Ladaga saw the tourism boosting potentials of the EVIARC Sweet, which would also create a livelihood opportunity for his farmers and prevent soil erosion at the same time.
On Wednesday, our farm’s small Isuzu Elf truck took the long trip from Kidapawan City to Loreto, Dinagat islands via Surigao City to deliver over 1,000 Inarched Seedlings of the EVIARC Sweet to a farmers’ cooperative in Loreto which is being assisted by the Loreto LGU.
(While I am willing to support Local Government Units in their livelihood programs, I have made it a policy not to deal directly with government when we supply our seedlings and Manok Pinoy breeders.)
In addition to the over 1,000 seedlings delivered to the Loreto Farmers Cooperative, I also shipped an additional 1,000 which they could sell to other farmers or LGUs in the island.
I told Mayor Ladaga that I expected additional requests for seedlings from the island because of the initiative of the town of Loreto and it would be very difficult on our part to make another delivery considering the distance.
So, I am expecting that three years from now, tourists will not only flock to Loreto, Dinagat Islands for the beautiful beaches and the big waves but also for the Sweetest jackfruit in the World.
#LivelihoodEnvironmentalProtection!
To Boost Tourism! Loreto, Dinagat Is. Starts EVIARC Sweet Production
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