10K visitors, including foreigners, expected at Kadayawan agri-trade
At least 10,000 domestic and foreign visitors are expected to visit this year’s Agri-Trade Fair , one of the bestselling main features of the Kadayawan Festival to be staged from August 1 to 31, this year.
The estimate is based on foot traffic statistics experienced by the yearly event happening in the huge parking space at the back of SM City Davao at Ecoland, Matina, Davao City.
Ben Gallego, president of the Mindanao Garden Club, Inc., told media men covering Kapehan sa Dabaw last Monday that his group had asked the mall management to allot space for 400 stalls, the biggest number of stalls ever to occupy the parking area ever, but as of last Monday, the space requested has overshot by 50 stalls more.
Gallego said the club leaders have asked the mall management to give it more space to accommodate the additional requests.
Vicky Jimenez, another officer who is a veteran fair participant, said that the Kadayawan-related event is on the record has been the longest and biggest garden show in the Philippines for years now.
Ms Jimenez said the famous agri-trade fair usually features a wide variety of fruits, ornamental plants, and also rare orchids The vendors will also be selling durian and other fruits in season, as well furniture
products with unique designs.
Among those expected to visit the month-long event, now placed in more than twice the space it used to occupy, are foreigners, she said.
“We’re doing good,” said Jimenez when asked about the sales of the previous Agri-Trade Fair.
She also said that they have promoted the event in Thailand and other neighboring countries and are now receiving letters of inquiry from foreign garden and fruit growers who are interested to visit the trade fair. She also said that they are helping interested foreign buyers to get import permits.
Jimenez said that a Malaysian importer is interested to import Tillandsia, a hanging plant that can live without soil, and quite easy to export.
She said that during the Kadayawan fair, foreign buyers have been increasing in number every year .
“We are receiving communications. They are asking when is the best time to come, nd we told them the best time to come is during the highlights but they are not interested duon sa mga other events except
sa garden show,” Jimenez said.
