“Pinyasan Festival” boosts pineapple industry in Camarines Norte

Daet, Camarines Norte (June 24, 2011) — Nineteen years after the “Pinyasan Festival” was first staged in this capital town, its the incumbent Mayor claims that the festival has significantly boosted the popularity of the pineapple and fortified industries related to it.

The end of the “Pinyasan Festival” today coincides with Daet's 428th foundation anniversary and the quadricentennial of the St. John the Baptist parish.

“Pinyasan Festival” or Pineapple Festival, a young festival by any standard, has rapidly become institutionalized and it has successfully higlighted Camarines Norte's major fruit product.

There is now a Pineapple Island Resort-Hotel in Calasgasan, Daet, a new bus firm, the Pineapple Gold Express, and countless newly created food recipes that include pineapple as ingredient.

Foreign firm “Sonzu” now has a pineapple processing plant at a locality near Daet, the Flora Integrated Farm. Another newly established agro-industrial firm ventures on pineapple plantation and the production of food and other products derived from pineapple.

Local cooperatives with the help of the local government and national agencies have created new fiber products and the popular “pineapple pie,” Daet's contribution to the “one town, one product” program.

Daet Mayor Tito Sarion, who was a town councilor in 1993, humbly accepts the credit for starting the “Pinyasan Festival” here. He recalls, that although the Formosa pineapple is the sweetest variety among home-grown pineapple in Camarines Norte, only local farmers and traders knew of its other potentials.

Back in 1990s while attending Philippine Travel Mart Conventions, Sarion conceived of the idea of promoting a local festival in honor of the pineapple.

The festival would later harness the creativity of Daeteños in sustaining a now major industry.