DAVAO CITY-- All roads led to the 18th Davao Agri Trade Expo (DATE), an annual flagship event and the largest and longest trade expo in Mindanao.
Geared towards the development of the agriculture industry in Davao Region, the three-day event was held on September 22-24 at SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier.
DATE 2016 featured Mindanao’s golden crops and is packaged to cover the basic aspects of successful agriculture extending beyond production to cover financing, processing, marketing, and even exporting.
DATE 2016 also highlighted the first ever-agri marketing conference on September 23 to provide a venue for business matching and networking and to link agri-traders, businessmen, and consumers.
The conference, as a parallel event, focused on providing the participants with the techniques in supplying local and international market, tapping export markets, and financing with partner banks.
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) joined the event through five of its consortia in Mindanao:
- the Southern Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMAARRDEC);
- Western Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESMAARRDEC);
- Northern Mindanao Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development (NOMCAARRD);
- Cotobato Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development Consortium (CAARRDEC); and
- the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development Consortium (ARMAARRDEC).
The said consortia feature worthwhile and productive technologies, which include promising Fusarium wilt-resistant banana varieties of SMAARRDEC; native chicken production of WESMAARRDEC; tilangit production of NOMCAARRD; halal chevon products of CAARRDEC; and coffee production of ARMAARDEC.