Guimaras eyes Japanese market for mangoes

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

The province of Guimaras will explore potential markets for its famous sweet mangoes in Japan on the sidelines of a cultural presentation.

Guimaras Provincial Tourism Officer Liberty Ferrer said on Tuesday that the province has been tapped by the Philippine Festival Organizing Committee (PFOC) to perform for the celebration of the Philippine Festival 2019 at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, Japan.

According to Ferrer, 20 performers from Hubon Guimarasnon sang Manggahan Festival of San Lorenzo town in Guimaras will perform in the grand parade and cultural presentation on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Yogori Park.

“Ang invitation sang Japan supposedly last year pa, wala lang madayun. Actually, indi lang Guimaras and Western Visayas ang nadala namon but the whole Philippines because ang amon presentation is not limited lang sang performance sang Manggahan festival but we will also present how Filipinos celebrate Christmas,” she said in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Ferrer said they will also conduct a trade mission in Japan as part of their efforts to promote the province and revive its tourism industry.

“Dako ni siya nga opportunity for us with the Iloilo Strait tragedy that happened kinanglan man namon marevive ang tourism receipts. Need namon is tourism investment as to bed and breakfast and then may mga areas kita diri may mga potential development amo na ang isell naton,” she said.

Aside from this, Ferrer said they will also bring mango products and look for opportunities to market and export Guimaras’ sweet mangoes in Japan.

“We are not going to bring mangoes but mango products. Part man sang lakat naton kung paano imarket ang mangoes in Japan and ma-export mangoes sa Japan. According sa interview namon didto sa mga growers may mga sizes nga preferred ang Japanese so amo na amon ginaconfrm kung ano ang preference nila,” she said.

Ferrer said there is a huge potential market in Japan with the country included in the top ten tourist arrivals in the province of Guimaras.