Make It Davao: Partoza Durian Farms

Friday, July 20, 2012

Partoza Durian Farms

Here's to you all Durian lovers out there! There is a Durian farm and park in Davao City that will be opened to the public come August 4, 2012. It is called, Partoza Durian Farms. Located at Barangay Biao Escuela in Tugbok District, Davao City, this Durian farm is being developed into a major agro-tourism destination in this part of Davao City. The farm not only has 500 Durian trees that yield premium quality fruits but also has all sorts of other fruits and herbs such as miracle berries, including livestock of goats, vermiculture, fish, native chicken, and horses.

Durian - The King of Fruits

Durian, widely known as the "King of Fruits", has become almost synonymous with Davao because of its abundance in the region, and many have sought after this exotic fruit. Davao produces at least 16 varieties of Durian. It's rich fertile volcanic soil and climate make it most suitable for sustained production of the freshest and tastiest Durian. Davao is not only one of the top producers of Durian, but is also one of the top markets for the King of Fruits. Durian is Davao Region’s second top produce, next only to banana. Since the fruits are locally produced, the prices are comparably much cheaper than anywhere in the country. Although Durian is usually in season during August to October, it is available year-round.

Durian Tree

Durian belongs to the genus Durio and the Malvaceae family. Its distinctive large size and infamous pungent odour, and its formidable dark khaki or dull green thorn-covered husk with thick, short, pointed spines, earned its name as the "King of Fruits". It can grow as large as 12 inches long and 6 inches in diameter, and it typically weighs one to three kilograms. Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk from green to brown, and its flesh from pale yellow to red, depending on the species. The edible flesh emits a distinctive pungent smell, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. While some people regard the Durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust. Its infamous odour, however, has led to the fruit's banishment from certain hotels and public transportation. Durian is considered by many an aphrodisiac.

Miracle Berries

Miracle Berries have extraordinary taste changing properties that when eaten, it changes from sour and bitter to sweet taste.

Herb Garden

Various plants and trees in the garden

Waling-Waling perched on a limb of a Mango tree

The world famous Waling-Waling is the largest of Philippine orchids. It is widely known as the "Queen of Orchids." Waling-Waling (vanda sanderana) grows in natural abundance in Davao particularly at the foot of Mount Apo, the Philippines' Highest Peak. Davao's typhoon-free weather all year round with practically no pronounced wet or dry season, and a uniform distribution of rainfall, temperature, humidity, and air pressure, make it conducive to growing rare exotic orchids and plants. Moreover, the City has more than 1,000 square kilometers of lush tropical forest, or about 47% of its total land area with rich volcanic soil that allows rare plants to thrive and flourish freely. All these qualities contributed to the eventual declaration of Davao City as the official “Orchid Capital of the Philippines”, as declared by then President Corazon Aquino.

Philippine orchids come in an amazing variety of shapes, sizes and colors, most of which grow only in old-growth forest, often on branches of huge trees several meters above the forest ground. With some 800 to 1,000 species of orchids, the Philippines has one of the richest orchid floras in the world.

Growing to 60 to 120 centimeters, it blooms when it is about 30 centimeters long and bears a few sets of flat, channeled, and re-curved leaves. Flower cluster of 12 to 16 flowers opens in succession, the blossoms usually lasting for about six weeks. Waling-Waling is 7 to 12 centimeters wide, and has a characteristic two-tone look - a pale purple blotched with dark reddish-purple at the tip to the lower sepals that are greenish with a pattern of netted lines and purple-crimson spots. And because of its unique beauty and elegance, the Waling-Waling is widely used in corsages and wedding bouquets, and has been extensively used by orchid growers for the breeding and production of high quality orchid hybrids. Other top-quality orchid species that are found in the country are the 'white orchid' (Phalaenopsis amabilis) which is known for its large full flowers, and the 'flame orchid' (Renanthera storiei) which is widely used in the development of orchid cut flower varieties. Waling-Waling blooms best in the months of July to October.

Banana

Goat House

The Farm also has a goat house where they breed Boer-Anglo Nubian goats.

Chicken House

Native chicken are raised and bred in the Farm as well.

The Malaya House

Partoza Durian Farms is owned and managed by Mr. Antonio Partoza, Jr. whose family's vacation house was converted into a bistro-café which serves their family’s own version of Filipino food.

Dining Area

The Farm grounds

The Farm is surrounded by a rich variety of lush greenery of different ornamental and exotic plants and trees that make it an ideal destination for family weekend outing, away from the noise of the city and the stressful demands of urban living. Partoza Durian Farms is certainly a new tourist destination in Davao City to look forward to.

How to get to Partoza Durian Farms

The farm is conveniently located in Barangay Biao Escuela in Tugbok District, Davao City, some 500 meters from the Biao Escuela High School, and about 28 kilometers or approximately 30 to 45 minutes drive, depending on the traffic, from the downtown area of Davao City, It is easily accessible by public or private transportation.