MANILA, Philippines - While small ruminants (goats and sheep) will be the major sector that will be highlighted at the Agrilink 2010 which is fast approaching, there are many good reasons why farming enthusiasts should attend this most prestigious and most successful agri trade fair in the country.

There are many interesting ideas, products and technologies that will certainly be of great interest to lot of show goers. At the outdoor exhibit area, for instance, there will be a lot of plants aside from the farm animals.

If you are interested in plants, you will see them in the booths of the Friends of AANI. There are, for instance, the many different bamboo varieties of our friend Carolina Gozon Jimenez who has developed a bamboo plantation in Antipolo City. She has about the biggest collection of bamboo varieties hereabouts.

If you are looking for planting materials of superior exotic fruit trees, you will also find them in the outdoor area. These include superior varieties of pummelo like Magallanes, two varieties from Vietnam as well as from Thailand. There will be stocks of grafted Longkong lanzones (the superior variety from Thailand), imported varieties of mango like Golden Queen from Taiwan, Peach mango from Australia, different varieties from Thailand and Florida (USA).

There will be rare fruit trees like the variegated orange that produces sweet and juicy fruits, sweet kamias seedlings, imported makopa varieties, sweet sampalok and many others.

One of the interesting exhibits will be the farm-ready seedlings from East-West Seed Company which include Sinta and Red Lady papaya, seedlings of tomato, eggplant, different varieties of sweet and hot peppers, ampalaya and others.

A panel of experts will also be available for ready consultation by trade show goers beside the booth of AANI. Dr. Rey Itchon will give a lecture on free-range chickens.

The booth of the Manila Bulletin at the indoor area will offer not only the current issues of Agriculture Magazine but also the old issues in the past many years. The information contained in them remain relevant to farming enthusiasts. The happy thing about it is that the old issues will be sold at only P100 per three copies.

Of course, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as well as the many stakeholders in the fisheries industry will be showcasing their many products, technologies and services. So make sure you attend the three-day trade expo. It is open free to the public.