DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A new 10-million peso Asian Fruit Market has opened in Davao City this past Saturday – the inaugural ceremony is just the first step to Davao’s bid to become ‘the biggest fruit market’ in all of Asia.
Officials said the project is the first step in ‘testing the waters’ in a bid to possible bigger markets within the city. The new market highlights fruits from neighboring countries, including the Philippines, and is meant to attract foreign tourists, and locals alike.
The Asian Fruit Market is located just outside Abreeza Mall at the fountain area and is expected to draw a wider range of people to the popular retail outlet.
The Asian Fruit Market is a ‘short term’ venue that is meant to showcase produce from Mindanao, offering high value fruits, commercial crops, vegetables and root crops.
Ornamental plants, herbs and other fruit-based products will also be part of the market.
In an interview with Mindanews, tourism regional director Robert Alabado III said, “What we are trying to do is putting agri-tourism as part of tourism in Davao. Davao has long been known for its fruits like durian, pomelo, mangosteen. If tourists are coming here it’s always the fruits that they are looking for. This is one way of presenting to them in an organized manner the fruits that they can taste.”
The fruit market is aimed at putting Davao as the home of the biggest fruit market in Asia in 10 years by showcasing “Mindanao’s abundance in high value fruits, commercial crops, root crops, vegetables and products.”
“This is just to start and to have a model what the market can be. We are envisioning that this market would have a more permanent place. If Thailand has one hectare, can we have two hectares for the fruits of the Philippines?,” Alabado asked.