Most farmers in Mindanao are used in Rice and Corn Farming. They have mastered the cultural management of it, however, it seemed that they forgot to consider their selected profesion as an enterprise (negosyo). It is for this reason perhaps, that for many times, we heard farmers saying "SHORT" or "FAILURE".
In this photo, Mrs. Mariam Salamat utilized her less than 1/4 hectare farm on Ampalaya and Eggplant Farming. Based on her sharing, she is now harvesting eggplant 5 times a week then daily on ampalaya, where she have at least 200kg/harvest and sold it at the towns of Matalam, Kabacan, and Kidapawan City at Php15.00/kg.They are also supplying at least 250kg every Tuesday to North Cotabato PLGU to supply Provincial Jail and North Cotabato Provincial Hospital.
In summary, they have sales of at least Php12,000/week or Php48,000/month (Talong pa lang yan). Huh! Her harvest will last until fifth month...So How much would that be?This vegetables are organically grown as said to them, NOT ALL PESTS can be eliminated by sythetic pesticides. I said it with concrete confident upon my 1 week Off Season Vegetable Production Training with the East West Seed Company in Bulacan. I let them use the alternatives such as soap spraying, daily hand picking of damaged leaves and fruits, daily picking of vesible pests, daily catching of pests through nets, pest trapping through lighting from 5pm-9pm. All collected pests are thrown in far places then burned.
Where is this farm? It's in Sitio Patadon, Amas, Kidapawan City. See it your selves...and for sure, you can say...MAY PERA SA GULAY!
