CATANDUANES, July 20, 2022 – Vegetable farmer-beneficiaries of the Department of Agriculture- Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program from the Municipality of Baras, Catanduanes earned Php 11,256 from participating in the Agro-Fair 2022 and Abaca Festival 2022 (Agri, Trade, and Tourism Fair), initiated by the Baras Local Government Unit (LGU) and through the joint efforts of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Provincial Tourism Office, and the festival program committee.
With 30 members, the San Miguel SAAD Vegetable Farmers Association (San Miguel SAADVFA) sustains their vegetable production in a 1-hectare (ha) land area. The association cultivates various vegetables like upo, okra, talong, sitaw, hopi, langka, saging, patola, sigarilyas, sili, and pinya, which were part of the agricultural inputs provided.
In June 2021, the association received the SAAD Program’s Vegetable Production and Enterprise project amounting to Php 503,162.55, consisting of vegetable/fruit seeds (12 kgs), muriate of potash (1 bag), complete fertilizer (25 bags), urea (6 bags), African Night Crawler (57 kgs), laminated sacks (2 pcs), laminated sacks with yellow and gray combination (12 pcs), brush cutter (1 unit), knapsack sprayer (6 units), drums (12 pcs), garden tools (12 sets), hand trowel (18 pcs), hand rake (18 pcs), hand sprayer (18 pcs), pruning shear (3 pcs), plastic trays (92 pcs), bolo with scabbard (18 pcs), plastic mulch (3 rolls), vegetable twines (18 rolls), garden hoses (18 rolls), 10 kg weighing scales (2 pcs), crates (18 pcs), various stainless kitchenware – casserole, cauldron, steamer (1 set), various kitchen utensils – basin, ladle, strainer, tray (1 set), storage containers and packaging materials – bottles (1 set), protective personal equipment (PPE) and hygiene kits (1 set), ingredients for processing (1 set), impulse sealer (2 units), refractometer (1 unit), budded calamansi (566 pcs), peanut seeds (22kgs), mungbean seeds (15 kgs), rootcrop tubers (408 pcs), and ginger seedpieces (100kgs).
AGRO-FAIR 2022
Agro-Fair 2022 was held in celebration of the 125th founding anniversary of the municipality of Baras, Catanduanes on May 11-13, 2022. The event served as a venue for farmers and business owners from different municipalities to showcase various agricultural products like vegetables and products from the fisheries sector.
The fair is one of the activities highlighted in this year’s Baras Foundation Day. Present in the festivities were six barangays that showcased their agricultural products, namely; Brgy. Genitligan, Brgy. Benticayan, Brgy. Paniquihan, Brgy. Guinsaanan, Brgy. Abihao, and Brgy. San Miguel, which were represented by beneficiaries of the SAAD Program, the San Miguel-SAADVFA.
Throughout the three-day event, the association was able to sell their vegetable, giving them an income of Php 7,986.00 (Table 1).
Table 1: San Miguel SAADVFA’s income during the Agro-Fair 2022The Agro-Fair 2022 was held at the baywalk of Baras and was a hit not just for residents but also for some neighboring municipalities. Buyers were ensured of the freshness and quality of the products the farmers offered.
Abaca Festival (Agri, Trade, and Tourism Fair)
In commemoration of the 6th Abaca Festival of the Province of Catanduanes on May 24-28,2022, the association likewise participated in the 6th Staging of Abaca Festival (Agri, Trade, and Tourism) Fair 2022 held at the Provincial Capitol grounds located in Virac, the capital town of Catanduanes.
It was attended by 99 exhibitors which consisted of 11 Local Government Units (LGU); 55 Processed Food sectors; 28 Wearables & Homestyle sectors; four Institutional Exhibitors; and one Diskwento Caravan c/o Catanduanes Bazaar.
Joining the Baras LGU, the association showcased their agricultural products and earned Php 3,270 (Table 2).
Table 2: Abaca Festival (Agri, Trade & Tourism Fair 2022)The total income earned by the association will proceed to their circulating funds.
Further, San Miguel SAADVFA plans to include processed products such as pickled vegetables and vegetable chips – products which were introduced to them during the training on vegetable production and enterprise development in September 2021.
Thankful for the opportunities at hand, the association looks for more opportunities to strengthen their livelihood by sustaining their vegetable production.###
Writer/source: Jovinel M. Gianan, DA-SAAD Catanduanes Information Officer
Photo sources:
Baras Municipal Agriculturist Office
Jovinel M. Gianan, DA-SAAD Catanduanes Information Officer
