Adivay agri-tourism fair on up to Nov 24

By Susan C. Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Agricultural products  and tourism attributes of Benguet  are now being showcased in ongoing   Adivay festivities through agri-tourism fair which started Nov. 17  to end on the 24th  at the Benguet Sports Center.

Each of the province’s 13 towns have respective booths featuring local agricultural produce and processed products, crafts and  indigenous products  with agri-tourism landscape and garden show.

Competition of the “best agri-tourism booth” and agri-tourism landscape/garden show is on among booths.

Provincial Agriculturist Lolita Bentres said part of the program was awarding of “good agricultural practice” (GAP) compliant certificates of specific vegetable produce of  Santos Calawa of Sandra’s Vegetable Farm (romaine lettuce, potato and cabbage) and Mary Dolo of JMD Farm (lettuce, strawberry and potato), both from Madaymen, Kibungan. They are addition to  77 GAP- compliant farms earlier recognized,  meaning some of their products have complied about 50 percent of  requirements before they can be fully be GAP-certified.

The provincial government turned over shredders and 15 rolls of UV plastic sheets to cover tunnels which also served as greenhouses to organic practitioners in the province.

Six of the shredders were earlier awarded according to Bentres.

To spice up the fair, side activities mostly competitions were held: Nov. 18 - cn-the-spot canvass painting contest and “Voice of Benguet” showdown; Nov. 19 - beverage preparation (herbal tea and shake), potato salad and potato French fries eating; Nov. 20 – nutri-snack cassava-based and rice-based preparation and on Nov. 21 is flower arrangement and fruit and vegetable carving.

Activities this week: Nov. 23 – vegetable salad preparation and presentation and vegetable and fruit salad eating; Nov. 24 – “Queen Bee” hunting, “Doteng” (local name of strawberry) hunting and varietal identification of rice.  

Today (Nov. 22) will be a demonstration on how to make Korean “Kimchi,” arrange bonsai and topiary.    

Winners to the competitions will be recognized and awarded during the closing program on Nov. 24.

Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (formerly the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council) executive director engineer Ariel Cayanan will be guest speaker during closing program.