Goa: Konkan Fruit Festival 2012

Press Release

Panaji, 10 May 2012: Botanical Society of Goa and Corporation of the City of Panaji [CCP], Panaji-Goa, together have facilitated the organization of the KONKAN FRUIT FEST on the Promenade off D.B. Bandodkar Marg, between Kala Academy and Children’s Park at Campal, Panaji-Goa from 11 to 13 May, 2012. The Dr. B. S. Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeet, Dapoli with its RFRS at Vengurla has agreed to participate on a greater scale than ever since the inception of this unique summer fruit festival held in May since 2003.

 

The ICAR- Goa Research Centre & KVK-Old Goa, the Goa Directorate of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Bangalore as well as the University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkot together with the Indian Institute for Horticultural Research [IIHR]-Hessarghatta, Bangalore, have participated in the KFF earlier and are expected to be participating this year.

 

THE FESTIVAL AGENDA:
This year the Konkan Fruit Fest will begin with the receipt of the fruits [four fruits of mango, chickoo, cashew, etc, single fruit of papaya, pineapple, jack, etc and at least a dozen berries per entry] on Thursday 10 May afternoon.

 

The event will be inaugurated on Friday 11 May at 10.30 A.M. by the Mayor of Panaji and will be open to public up to 8 P.M. There will be on-the-spot competitions and processed products competitions as detailed below.

 

There are no entry fees and competition is open to all. Register at the venue [next to Kala Academy open air auditorium] on 10 May, 2012, from 10 A.M. onwards

 

RELEASE OF BOOK:
The Western Ghats Kokum Foundation [WGKF] is actively involved in the Konkan Fruit Fest since 2005 and will release its book “Resource Book on Kokum, Garcinia indica” at the hands of Dr. Kisan Lawande, Vice Chancellor of Dr. B. S. Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeet, Dapoli, on Saturday 12 May at the venue of KFF 2012.

 

PARTICIPATION OF NGO’S:
The Goa Consumer Action Network [GOACAN] has been a part of the KFF since 2011 and will leader the drive to educate both the vendors and the consumers on legal requirements of packaged commodities as well as consumer’s rights to know what they ate being sold.

 

PARTICIPATION BY LOCAL NURSERYMEN:
Fruit plant nurserymen, fruit processors and fruit vendors like Ms. Shivani of Arolkar Nursery & Fruit Products, Matt-Kudal, and Mr. Mandar Prabhudesai of Vikas Nursery have been an integral part of the KFF right from the very start and will be there again.

 

Fr. Inacio Almeida sfx of Pilar/Bhironda, Mr. Shrihari Subrai Naik Kurade of Cuncolim and Mr. Ashok Dande of Dande’s, Taleigao, have been pillars of support for the KFF and will be there this year. Ms. Lumina Lobo from Siolim, Santan Mascarenhas of Parra and Desmond Nazereth of Desmondji have added the right spirit to the event.

 

A VARIETY OF COMPETITIONS PLANNED:
Enthusiastic competitors in the fruit display, fruit products [juices, wines, burfi, etc and fruit dishes [fruit salads, soufflé, puddings, cakes, etc] as well as on-the-spot competitions like the unique fruit eating [papaya, banana, watermelon, etc] and fruit fancy dress add life and zest to the event. The CCP and others are adding value to these events at KFF 2012.

 
ALSO PARTICIPATING:
The organic promotion body, ECOCERT from Aurangabad, the Syamantak ’School-without-walls’ of Damapur-Vengurla, Earthoholics from Mumbai, National Innovation Foundation-India, Ahmedabad and many exhibitors/participants are joining the festival this year.

 
SECURITY FOR PARTICIPATING STALLS:
There will be round-the-clock security.

 

ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
This year the event is led by Dr. Ajit Shirodkar [Chairman of Western Ghats Kokum Foundation ] as Chairman KFF 2012 and has Dr. Nitin Sawant  as the Organizing Secretary-KFF 2012. 

 

The CCP is fully involved as a “Festival Partner” of KFF 2012.

 

For details contact:
Dr. Nitin Sawant  9822483535, nitinnature@yahoo.co.in,  or
Dr. K.G. Hiremath 09423835182 or
Miguel Braganza 0982282676 or email braganza.miguel@gmail.com,
Look up www.konkanfruitfest.com or just Google search.