Nueva Vizcaya boosts claim as Region 2’s ‘citrus capital’

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines — Thanks to citrus, the quality of life of many people in Nueva Vizcaya has improved significantly.

Over the years, this commercially produced agricultural crop continued to provide employment opportunities to the people of Nueva Vizcaya, one of the provinces that comprise Region 2 or Cagayan Valley, the northeasternmost flank of Luzon.

“The citrus industry in Nueva Vizcaya has improved the quality of life of the farmers of the province, especially Malabing Valley in the municipality of Kasibu, where citrus is grown abundantly, making Nueva Ecija the ‘citrus capital’ of Region 2,” said Gov. Carlos Padilla.

He credited the progress of his province to, among other things, the strides of the citrus industry.

The Citrus Farms and Industry Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda (FIESTA) was celebrated under the joint auspices of the Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and

Development (CVAARRD) Consortium and the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).

The event showcased citrus R&D programs, projects, and initiatives in Cagayan Valley and exhibited fresh citrus products, student activities promoting the citrus industry through cooking, dessert-making, poster-making, essay writing, quiz contests, investment forums, and visit to the Malabing Valley.

The FIESTA activities were supported by state colleges and universities in the Cagayan Valley Region such as the Nueva Vizcaya State University, Isabela State University, and Cagayan State University; and the DOST, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Trade and Industry.

During the FIESTA forum, Padilla, NVSU president Andres Taguiam, ISU’s Ricmar Aquino and officials of R&D and academic institutions in northeastern Luzon reiterated their commitment to continue supporting the citrus industry in the region.