TIGAON, CAMARINES SUR – While some Bicolano farmers don’t want to risk planting in the last quarter of the year due to typhoons and adverse weather conditions such as shearline, Ronaldo Goyena and Ireneo Olaez both of Tigaon decided to take the plunge.

Ronaldo Goyena is a 45-year-old farmer and President of Huyon-huyon Natural Foods Processors Association.

“Dati ayaw kong magtanim ng ampalaya dahil laging inaatake ng peste. Nangungulubot ang bunga. Pero noong na-introduce sa akin ang grafted ampalaya, doon ko nakita na money maker talaga ang ampalaya,” Ronald enthused.

“Nagsimula ako sa 300 na grafted seedlings na nabili ko sa Farm-Ready sa Bulacan sa pamamagitan ng online shipping. Nagtanim ako noong January 2023, nagsimula akong mag-ani noong katapusan ng February na nagpatuloy pa hanggang June 2023″ he added.

In September 2023, Ronaldo planted 200 hills of grafted ampalaya which he harvested from November to December. The price of ampalaya in Bicol ranged from P90.00 to P100.00 per kilo. Thus, he earned a net income of close to P300,000.00.

“May kausap na akong buyer lagi kaya hindi ako nahihirapan sa marketing. Hindi talaga mahirap i-market ang ampalaya ko sa ganitong panahon dahil bukod sa konti lang ang nagtanim, mas maganda ang mga bunga at hindi sakitin. Malalaki din ang bunga ng grafted ampalaya, kaya ang isang piraso ay umaabot sa ¾ kilo. Mas mahaba din ang buhay ng grafted kaya halos nakapag-ani ako 24 to 26 times. Compared sa pag seeds ang itinatanim ko, nakakapag harvest lang ng 12 to 16 times” he added.

Aside from ampalaya, Ronaldo also planted string beans in October and he was on his 8th harvest since November. He harvested 28 kilos every three days and sold them at P70.00 / kilo.

Another farmer, Mang Ireneo or Mang Erning started harvesting sweet melon last December 23 and has since then harvested over 400 kilos which he sold at P80.00 per kilo. He also planted watermelon but due to the frequent rains, he was only able to harvest 200 kilos.

He sold his produce at the markets of Tigaon, and nearby towns of San Jose and Goa.“Ang kagandahan ng pagtatanim ng wala sa panahon tulad pag November at December ay konti lang ang nagtatanim. Kaya noong nagmarket ako ng sweet melon ko sa mga pamilihan ng Tigaon, Goa, at Sagnay, ay ako lang ang may melon,” he quipped.

Mang Erning is the president of the Caraycayon Vegetable Growers Association. He is also the president of the Federation of Tigaon High Value Crops Growers Farmers Association with over 300 members. He started farming in 2004 on his 4.2 hectare land where he grew different kinds of vegetables.

Last year, after he attended the Vegetable Seed Derby and Harvest Festival in Bgy. Curry in Pili where he witnessed the performance of high-yielding vegetable varieties, he was motivated to plant water melon and honey dew melon in a 1.5 hectare area. He also continued planting eggplant in 1.5 hectare area, and siling tingala in 1.2 hectare area.

Mang Erning was very thankful to the DA – High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) for the provision of solar-powered irrigation and other interventions such as grass cutter, plastic mulch, and mini cultivator for his association.

Lea Beltran, Municipal Agriculturist of Tigaon said that rice and corn are the major crops in Tigaon but more farmers are learning to diversify their crops. While waiting for the rice and corn harvest time, farmers are planting cash crops like off-season vegetables which can be harvested in 45 days to 70 days.

Indeed, there is money in farming, and more money in farm diversification. (Lovella P. Guarin)

Farmers get high income from off-season planting despite prolonged rain

TIGAON, CAMARINES SUR – While some Bicolano farmers don’t want to risk planting in the last quarter of the year due to typhoons and adverse weather conditions such as shearline, Ronaldo Goyena and Ireneo Olaez both of Tigaon decided to take the plunge.

Ronaldo Goyena is a 45-year-old farmer and President of Huyon-huyon Natural Foods Processors Association.

“Dati ayaw kong magtanim ng ampalaya dahil laging inaatake ng peste. Nangungulubot ang bunga. Pero noong na-introduce sa akin ang grafted ampalaya, doon ko nakita na money maker talaga ang ampalaya,” Ronald enthused.

“Nagsimula ako sa 300 na grafted seedlings na nabili ko sa Farm-Ready sa Bulacan sa pamamagitan ng online shipping. Nagtanim ako noong January 2023, nagsimula akong mag-ani noong katapusan ng February na nagpatuloy pa hanggang June 2023″ he added.

In September 2023, Ronaldo planted 200 hills of grafted ampalaya which he harvested from November to December. The price of ampalaya in Bicol ranged from P90.00 to P100.00 per kilo. Thus, he earned a net income of close to P300,000.00.

“May kausap na akong buyer lagi kaya hindi ako nahihirapan sa marketing. Hindi talaga mahirap i-market ang ampalaya ko sa ganitong panahon dahil bukod sa konti lang ang nagtanim, mas maganda ang mga bunga at hindi sakitin. Malalaki din ang bunga ng grafted ampalaya, kaya ang isang piraso ay umaabot sa ¾ kilo. Mas mahaba din ang buhay ng grafted kaya halos nakapag-ani ako 24 to 26 times. Compared sa pag seeds ang itinatanim ko, nakakapag harvest lang ng 12 to 16 times” he added.

Aside from ampalaya, Ronaldo also planted string beans in October and he was on his 8th harvest since November. He harvested 28 kilos every three days and sold them at P70.00 / kilo.

Another farmer, Mang Ireneo or Mang Erning started harvesting sweet melon last December 23 and has since then harvested over 400 kilos which he sold at P80.00 per kilo. He also planted watermelon but due to the frequent rains, he was only able to harvest 200 kilos.

He sold his produce at the markets of Tigaon, and nearby towns of San Jose and Goa.“Ang kagandahan ng pagtatanim ng wala sa panahon tulad pag November at December ay konti lang ang nagtatanim. Kaya noong nagmarket ako ng sweet melon ko sa mga pamilihan ng Tigaon, Goa, at Sagnay, ay ako lang ang may melon,” he quipped.

Mang Erning is the president of the Caraycayon Vegetable Growers Association. He is also the president of the Federation of Tigaon High Value Crops Growers Farmers Association with over 300 members. He started farming in 2004 on his 4.2 hectare land where he grew different kinds of vegetables.

Last year, after he attended the Vegetable Seed Derby and Harvest Festival in Bgy. Curry in Pili where he witnessed the performance of high-yielding vegetable varieties, he was motivated to plant water melon and honey dew melon in a 1.5 hectare area. He also continued planting eggplant in 1.5 hectare area, and siling tingala in 1.2 hectare area.

Mang Erning was very thankful to the DA – High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) for the provision of solar-powered irrigation and other interventions such as grass cutter, plastic mulch, and mini cultivator for his association.

Lea Beltran, Municipal Agriculturist of Tigaon said that rice and corn are the major crops in Tigaon but more farmers are learning to diversify their crops. While waiting for the rice and corn harvest time, farmers are planting cash crops like off-season vegetables which can be harvested in 45 days to 70 days.

Indeed, there is money in farming, and more money in farm diversification. (Lovella P. Guarin)