PANJIM: The Konkan Fruit Festival will have a different flavour this year with Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) partnering with the Botanical Society of Goa and other festival organisers.
“We are making efforts that every festival held in Goa, even for a short duration is linked with tourism to attract tourists all round the year,” a senior Tourism official told Herald. The 12th edition of the annual festival is scheduled to be held from April 22 to 24 at the Campal promenade.
University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, DBS Konkan Krishi Vidyapeet, Dapoli, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwar and Bangalore, ICAR-CCARI and State Directorate of Agriculture are among several other organizations participating in the festival, along with a large number of fruit growers and processors of fruit products from juices, nectars and wines to jellies, jams and pickles.
The focus this year will be on little known fruits of the Konkan, including the rose apple and berries of all types (churna, kanttam, kaneram, mulberry etc), while not forgetting major fruits like mango and fast developing commercial fruits like kokum and jackfruit that have been promoted by Botanical Society of Goa since 2003. The display will be coupled with various competitions on the spot.
“Such events are not only of interest for farmers and those associated with farm products but to tourists as well who get an insight into agro development taking place in the Konkan region. The fest is one event which draws large participants and visitors,” GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral said.
Botanical Society Goa secretary Miguel Braganza said, “With GTDC becoming a festival partner, the Konkan Fruit Fest is bound to attract more tourists to the event and help scale it up.”
The newly established Don Bosco College of Agriculture will depute trained student volunteers to describe the fruits to the visitors.
