The Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) dispatched about 25 tons of fresh fruits to Quezon City and Manila on Friday through the “Kadiwa on Wheels” program.

The shipment included durian, mangosteen, pomelo and other locally grown produce sourced from farms in Calinan District, Davao City.

DA-11 Regional Director Macario Gonzaga said the initiative underscores the agency’s commitment to providing farmers with direct and expanded market opportunities.

“We are bringing the region’s bountiful harvests closer to consumers outside Mindanao while giving farmer-producers wider market opportunities for their produce,” Gonzaga said in a news release.

The DA central office in Quezon City will host the first leg of sales on Sept. 1 to 3, followed by Kartilya ng Katipunan in Manila on Sept. 4.

Subsequent stops include Cebu City on Sept. 10 to 16, Baguio City on Sept. 25 to 28 and the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Oct. 8 to 10.

Al-Hadj Benjamin Musa, owner of Visia Fruits & Vegetables Trading, said the program provides farmers with an avenue to sell their harvests beyond the Davao Region.

“Hopefully, we get good sales for this batch of Kadiwa on Wheels while also sharing our produce with the rest of the country,” Musa said, adding that prices are comparable to those in Davao.

The DA-11 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division aims to strengthen market linkages, expand consumer access, and create better opportunities for local growers. (PNA)