Farmers around Campus Take Part in Contest of Crystal Guavas

A Plant Festival themed "Glitter of Crystal Guava" held my Himagron and Department of Agronomy and Horticulture (AGH) Faculty of Agriculture in the Agropromo of IPB Campus Baranangsiang Jln Pajajaran, Thursday to Sunday (29 Sept-2 Oct) went lively. The event, which was opened by Secretary of AGH Department Dr. Sugiyanta, was followed by the farmers of the villages around the Dramaga Campus of IPB, namely Nur Ali, H. Hambali, Satibi, Badri, Ilyas, Nasar, H. Adi and Saeful.

The farmers took part as participants in the Contest of Crystal Guavas. In addition to eight farmers, three farmers of crystal guavas from the Rancabungur village, Bantarsari District of Bogor Regency also participated. The contest involved two judges of ICDF for assessment.

Farida Nur Fitriani, S. TP of LPPM IPB accompanying the contest assessment said that the evaluation criteria include taste, color, weight and packaging. A special device was used to test for taste or sweetness level. "For example, when tested, a guava scores ten then it has reached the near maximum score, meaning that it tastes sweet," said Fitri.

Meanwhile, Badri, a contest participant from Cikarawang Village looked happy when his guava got the score 11 for the level of sweetness. "Thank God, if I am declared to a winner, I will sell these guavas by auction," he said with a cheerful smile.

At the same place, a researcher of P2SDM LPPM IPB, Saeful Asikin, happily welcomed the farmers’ participation in the contest. "This event can become a means of promotion for superior products in the villages," said Saeful.

The excitement of the festival was also evident from the many elementary school students who participated in the drawing competition. Moreover, the entertainment stage also became the arena of elementary school students and college students to demonstrate their skills of singing and at the same time entertaining the festival visitors (Mtd)