| Highland
vegetable farmers particularly those from the municipalities
of Atok, Buguias, Kibungan and Mankayan in Benguet and Baoko
in Mt. Province cultivate very small parcels of land.
A
recent study conducted by Dr. Julia A. Solimen of Benguet
State University (BSU) showed that more than half of 165 vegetable
growers surveyed in these areas utilize less than 2,500 sq.m.
for vegetable farming. Predominant vegetables were potato
(74%), cabbage (66%), carrots (45%) and sweet peas (13%).
With
limited land, increases in farmers’ productivity and
income could only come from innovations in vegetable farming.
In
potato production, respondents have started adopting innovations.
These include the use of new varieties (59%), new inputs (47%),
improved land preparation (35%), new planting method (28%),
new harvesting method (21%), organic farming (11%), and adoption
of greenhouse technology (4.5%).
The
sources of these innovations, as reported by the farmers,
were neighboring farmers (77%), government technicians (60%),
input suppliers (56%), the media (53%), training attended
(48%), own or family idea (55%) and to some extent, R&D
institutions (7%) and customers (5%).
All
respondents claimed that innovation improved their total production,
income, market share, production process and product quality.
Seventy six percent of the respondents claimed that innovation
contributed at least 30% to total production. Close to 50%
of the respondents claimed that it contributed 70-100% improvement
in their income.
Most
of the farmers interviewed (98%) were wholesaling vegetables;
83% were retailing. The study also revealed buyers were important
sources of cash advance to the farmers (R. M. Fabro, S&T
Media Service).
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