Dragon fruit picking, free tasting—another first in Ilocos Norte’s agro-tourism industry

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Burgos, Ilocos Norte—Hundreds of fruit and plant lovers swarmed to the first-ever farm festivity in Ilocos Norte—dragon fruit picking and free tasting of all varieties of the medicinal fruit.

The event, initiated by REFMAD Farms, the first science and technology-based organic dragon fruit farm covering a 10-hectare agricultural estate located at Brgy. Paayas here, was the first of its kind in the province.

The event, which took place on July 23-27, also allowed visitors to pick the dragon fruit they want then purchase them at farm gate prices between P100 to P150 per kilogram.

Multi-awarded farmer scientist and a national Gawad Saka awardee Edita Dacuycuy of Refmad Farms said, the “first of the first farm festivities in Ilocos Norte” shares the fun and excitement of harvesting dragon fruit, which has now become a source of additional income to local farmers here, including students, out-of-school youths and housewives, who ventured into dragon fruit farming technology.

Assisted by a network of inter-government agencies that promotes science and technology-based farming, the pioneering organic dragon fruit plantation in northern Luzon, serves as a show window for plant lovers and agri-entrepreneurs to consider the potential of dragon fruit farming to alleviate poverty in the countryside.

Over the last five years, the odd-looking dragon fruit has been attracting the attention of fruit lovers and tourists from various parts of the country.

With the high demand for this exotic fruit known for its therapeutic properties, idle public and private lands in Ilocos Norte, including barangay roadsides, backyards and school compounds, are now turned into pocket dragon fruit farms.

Ilocanos refer to the dragon fruit as the “vine of life” because of its health benefits and the additional income that it gives to local communities and even schools.

While Ilocos Norte’s production is still below the export target, growers here continue to produce other dragon fruit-based products that have found a steady market. Among these products include ice cream, jam, wine, vinegar, tea, cookies, pastries and even soap bars.

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