COTABATO CITY, Philippines– The agriculture department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) now boasts of marang-flavored ice cream, which economists said could boost demand for the fruit.
Marang is abundant in all of the ARMM’s provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Makmod Mending Jr., regional secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the autonomous region, on Friday launched the ARMM’s marang ice cream invented by Nilda Longno.
Food technicians and researchers at Mending’s office helped Longno study how to produce marang ice cream.
Officials and journalists, who attended the launch at the ARMM’s Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, were served marang ice cream.
Mending said the regional government would cite Longno for her invention.
He said production of marang ice cream would increase demand for the fruit.
“If there is a high demand for this fruit, marang growers will earn extra income,” Mending said.