The provincial government of Guimaras and the association of dragon fruit growers in the province kicked off the fourth year of its Dragon Fruit Fest on Thursday.

The annual festival is aimed at supporting the dragon fruit growers in their marketing and in boosting tourism.

It also serves as a strategic response to mango off-season by offering dragon fruits as a high-value alternative to attract tourists.

Francis Gentoral, Provincial Economic and Development Officer and concurrent Tourism Officer, said for the past three years, the festival gathered close to 15,000 tourists and generated some 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,” he said in a media conference.

This year, he said they are also targeting at least a 25 percent increase in tourist arrivals, and tourism receipts and revenues of entrepreneurs.

This year’s theme, “Where Flavor Meets Arts,” introduces the other uses of the fruit aside from health, 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,” she said.

The four-day festival kicked off with the weekend market at the provincial capitol, where hundreds of kilos of dragon fruits are for sale.

Other events are the pick and pay at the NJST and Paquito Farms, where dragon fruits will be sold at PHP150 per kilo for an entrance fee of PHP50 for three hours.

The Provincial Office for Agricultural Services said that there are around 22.44 hectares of dragon fruit cultivation areas in the province with 21,077 posts.

The annual production reaches some 8.875 tons. (PNA)